Our Normal
by jasmine135246
Summary: Catherine gets kidnapped by a man Steve crossed in his past. What will he do to get her back, and what will he do to the man who took her?
1. Chapter 1

Hi Everyone! It's finally done. Took a lot longer than I expected, but it's finished, so you're guranteed every chapter! This story is full of fluff, but I tried to stay as true to the characters as I could. This first chapter is going to be a little longer than my rest. Hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Chapter 1

Lt. Catherine Rollins stirred in her sleep, plagued by a reoccurring nightmare, one where the man lying next to her died before she and the rest of his team could find him. It was the time she was suppose to pick him and Danny up from the marina, but they weren't there, and yet even knowing that they both came out of it safe, Catherine's mind had morphed it into a chain of events where Steve McGarrett ended up dead.

She tossed and turned screaming out in her sleep loud enough to bring Steve to full alertness. Her voice had pulled him to her even as he awoke and he was already facing her, his hand lightly on her shoulder, when he said, "Cath! Wake up! Come on." He gently shook her, but she didn't respond, and when he noticed the tears streaming from her shut eyes he shook her harder, "Catherine!"

Her eyes popped open and Steve could see the terror and grief from her nightmare lingering there. "Steve," she whispered and then began to sob, a latent emotion from the ordeal her mind had just put her through. Catherine had been having the nightmare long enough that she was way past being embarrassed over her reaction, and Steve wasn't instantly panicked over the tears.

He pulled her close, wrapping his arms protectively around her, and just held her, whispering, "It's okay Cath, I'm safe. It's just you and me. It's okay now." He kept whispering to her and planting kisses on her hair until she finally quieted. "Same nightmare?"

She nodded against him and then took a deep breath, before lifting her head from his chest to look at him, studying his face. "See, I'm fine," he told her.

She was starting to feel herself enough to snort at him and poke him above his eye, "Nice bruise."

He winced and rubbed at it, "Forgot about that."

She rolled into a sitting position, wiping at her eyes with the palm of her hands. "I wish these would go away. I'm starting to feel so silly. I know you're okay. I know you were okay then. It just feels so real each time."

Steve sat up behind her, resting his hand on her back and gently rubbing it, "Don't feel silly. They'll go away eventually, and until they do you can wake me up anytime you need to." He gently kissed her shoulder, "I'm sorry I wasn't home when you fell asleep." They had noticed though not acknowledged, that she didn't have the nightmares on nights he was there when she fell asleep.

She turned around her patent smile on her face, wrapping her legs around his waist and cupping his face in her hands she asked, "Why, Commander McGarrett, did you just apologize?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist, his hands still rubbing gentle circles on her back and smirked at her, "To you, Lt. Rollins, always."

She laughed and then leaned down to kiss him. Her lips against his were slow but intense, their feelings for each other acknowledged only in the physical. "I've missed you," she whispered into his ear.

Steve felt himself smile. He flipped her over onto her back, "Oh yeah? Did you miss this?" He kissed the side of her neck.

She smiled, "Uh huh."

"How 'bout this?" He moved to her collarbone as he started to lift her shirt up.

"Uh huh," her fingers dug gently into his back as heat washed through her.

"How 'bout this?" He asked as he trailed kisses up her now bare stomach.

"Definitely," she moaned.

Catherine couldn't see the gleam in his eyes when he said, "What about this?!" and tickled her sides with the hands he had had wrapped around her waist.

She laughed, squirming and trying to push him away, the laughter releasing the last of the remaining turmoil from her nightmare. "Stop!" she laughed, "Steve!" When he didn't slow she fought fire with fire and found the spot right above his knee that was his weak spot.

"Truce! Truce!" He laughed releasing her. They both flopped onto their back, breathing hard from the laughing. After a moment he turned his head to look at her, "Cath?"

She turned her head towards him but kept her eyes closed, "Hmm?"

"I've missed you, too."

She opened her eyes to find him staring intently at her. "Cath," he started to say but she cut him off, rolling on top of him. "Shh," she whispered, kissing him. "The time I get with you is worth it, and my job is just as demanding. It's just you and me." Her smile was devilish and she added, "Let's act accordingly."

He grinned back at her, glad they both had tomorrow off.

* * *

It was not that much later than Steve normally woke when his eyes drifted open. He smiled when he saw Catherine sleeping peacefully next to him, her face towards him. A piece of her dark hair had fallen across her cheek, and he gently pushed it behind her ear, she moved into his touch, but didn't wake.

He was relieved and happy to see her sleeping so peacefully. He wished he could make the nightmares go away. In some ways he was touched seeing how much she cared about him. He knew she did, but they never talked about it, and yet he hated seeing her go through the nightmares, knowing from experience what it could do to a person. He'd had similar nightmares about her once. She was deployed on the Enterprise at the time, and he had become so doubly surly to the point that Danny had just about disowned him. He had finally calmed down when he got a hold of her. He had called pleading a favor so ridiculous that he knew she had seen right through it, but she had played along, even securing a dinner promise from him when she returned.

The conversation had been short, but he had felt better for it. He turned his attention back to Catherine lying next to him. He was so happy to have her here with him. They had spent too much time apart in the past. Suddenly he remembered the morning his mother had snuck back into the house, and Doris had asked Catherine how she liked her eggs and he had done the same.

He had long since discovered how she liked her eggs, having decided that morning that he needed to spend more breakfasts with her. Inspired, he quietly slipped out of bed, being very careful not to wake her, as she needed the sleep. An hour later he was carrying a tray upstairs. He sat down next to her on the bed, hiding the tray from view, and his weight on the bed woke her up. He was next to her on the bed so he was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes, "Good morning, Commander."

He leaned down and kissed her, "I have something for you, Lt." He picked up the tray and showed it to her, "Breakfast in bed!"

Catherine could barely believe her eyes, and she sat up in bed, smiling at him she teased, "Is it Valentine's Day? Because this is way better than chocolates!"

He laughed, "I thought you loved chocolates!"

This time she laughed, "I do love chocolates." She leaned over and kissed him, "This is perfect, Steve. Thank you." She picked up her fork, "So what's the occasion?"

He picked up the other fork, stealing the piece of sausage she had just cut for herself. "No occasion," he popped the sausage in his mouth while Catherine just shook her head ruefully and cut another piece.

"Better be careful, a girl could get spoiled."

This time he stole some eggs, "Don't worry I'm sure some case will come up soon enough and things will be back to normal."

"And you'll find some way to make it up to me, like breakfast in bed." She kissed him again and she said against his lips, "I like our normal."

He kissed her back, "Me too."

* * *

A few hours later they were sitting at a table outside Kamekona's Shrimp Truck with the rest of Steve's team. Kono turned to Catherine, who was sitting right next to her, and asked, "We still on for surfing tomorrow morning?"

Catherine nodded, "Definitely. I need it."

Kono looked at her in concern, "Something going on?"

Catherine waved the question away, "No, just haven't been sleeping well, hoping the stress reliever will help."

"Want some extra company?" Chin asked from across the table.

Catherine smiled at him, "The more the merrier." She turned to Danny who was sitting next to Chin, "How about you?"

Danny looked between her and Steve who was sitting at the end of the table next to Catherine, "Is Steve going? Cause I'm not going if he's going. Him and his non-existent surfing etiquette!"

"Oh, come on!" Steve exclaimed. "If they're on the wave they own it!"

"No! No! You can't own a wave!"

As everyone around the table laughed Catherine cut Steve off before the argument continued, "You've got Grace tomorrow don't you, Danny? You should bring her. Kono and I promised her we'd teach her more about surfing."

"Yeah," Kono agreed, "That's true, we did, and Grace would love that."

"That's low, using my daughter against me. Fine! We'll be there."

"Good, it's settled then." Chin said, "We'll all meet tomorrow morning with both Steve and Danny there."

Steve put up his hands in defense, "Hey, I didn't have a problem with it." His phone rang, "McGarrett." As Steve listened into the phone, Catherine felt him put his hand on her back, and then he said, "We're on our way." He hung up the phone and smiled at Catherine, "See, normal."

She laughed, "That's fine. I have stuff to do at home anyway."

He kissed her and she said, "I'll see you bright and early tomorrow morning."

"I'll bring you breakfast." He kissed her again and then turned to Danny, "Danno, I'm driving."

"What about your truck?" Danny protested knowing it was futile.

"Cath drove."

As they walked away Cath heard Danny complain, "Oh, you'll let her drive!"

"Of course I do."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"She's a better driver than you."

Catherine laughed and shook her head in amusement as she stood up from the table and headed towards her car. She'd been spending so much time at Steve's the past week she'd been letting things slip at her house. Like laundry, she was going to put fresh sheets on her bed. She would miss sleeping next to Steve, but was happy to be sleeping in her own bed.

She was nearing her car still thinking about what she wanted to get done when someone grabbed her from behind. Her training kicked in immediately and she managed to get free, fighting off her attacker, but dropped her purse, her cell phone sliding under a nearby car.

She had just landed a kick that sent her attacker flying backwards, when another one came up distracting her long enough for the first attacker to recover and hit her with a taser. Catherine slumped, the taser knocking her unconscious, and her attackers caught her before she hit the cement. They threw her into the trunk of a grey Ford sedan, and then sped out of the parking lot leaving behind her purse and cell phone.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Chapter 2

"So, Max, what do we got?" Steve McGarrett asked the medical examiner who was kneeling next to the body of the victim.

"Hello Commander, Detective Williams." Max said, sitting up to look up at Steve and Danny, "We've got an adult male, most likely in his mid-thirties. It would appear that COD was a single GSW to the heart. His hands were tied behind his back and he was face down when he was found as if he had been on his knees when he was killed."

Steve looked to Kono who had just walked over after talking with Duke and Chin, "Do we have an ID on the victim yet?"

"Not yet boss," she told him, flipping her notebook closed. "The man had no ID on him. Chin and Duke are running his fingerprints now.

Steve looked around; they were in an alley fairly secluded, surrounded by abandoned buildings. There were dumpsters and trash pushed up against the walls, as well as old crates stacked on top of each other. The man way laying in the middle of the alley, the killer hadn't tried to hide the body, even through there was a plethora of places to try, and the man's hands had been tied and he had been on his knees when he was killed. As understanding hit he looked at his team, "This was planned. This alley is remote, secluded. No prying eyes here. This was an execution."

* * *

Catherine groaned as she started to come to, her head aching from the volts of electricity that had knocked her unconscious. Despite the pain, she looked around quickly checking that she was alone. She was. She sat up slowly to find she was on a bed in a small enclosed room. She stood up walking the perimeter, checking for any doors, any windows, any exists. There were no windows, but she found two doors. The first was the main door, bolted from the outside. Catherine felt around the frame but there was nothing for her to work with, all the hinges were on the outside, there wasn't even a door handle.

The other door led into a small bathroom, just a toilet and a sink. There were blankets at the end of the bed. At least they wanted her alive, she mused. She sat on the bed and tried to remember what she could about her attackers: both men, brown hair, about six feet tall. Other than that she couldn't remember anything familiar about them. She hadn't recognized either one.

She scooted back so her back was against the wall, and brought her knees up to her chest. Catherine sighed, she just had to hold out until tomorrow morning and then Steve would know she was missing.

* * *

Back in 5-0 Headquarters

"Victim's name was Scott Monroe. He was 33, worked at a local shipping and packaging store. When we talked to his coworkers they said Scott had been arguing with a man off and on for the last week." Chin told the team, pushing the victim's photo onto the big screen.

Steve stared at the victim's picture on the screen, "Any idea what they were arguing about?"

"Money, apparently." Chin answered again.

"Do we know who Scott was arguing with?" Danny asked.

Kono looked between Danny and Steve, "The store's video surveillance is at the lab now, they're going to try facial recognition. None of Scott's coworkers knew who he was."

Danny scratched his chin, "What about family?"

Again Kono answered, "Parents live on the mainland. He's got a girlfriend that he shared a house with."

Steve started from the room, "Let's go see what she knows."

Danny Williams tried to ignore his partner's agitation as Steve drummed his thumbs against the steering wheel, but like normal Danny couldn't resist, "Okay, okay, quit the drumming, you're freaky SEAL thumbs are going to put holes in my steering wheel! What's with you?"

Steve stilled his thumbs but subconsciously clenched the steering wheel. "I don't know Danno, something doesn't feel right."

"What, is it the case?"

Steve shook his head and then shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know."

"You probably just feel bad about your day with Catherine getting messed up again."

"Yeah, that's probably it." The thought of Cath seemed to make him more agitated. He grabbed his cell phone. "I think I'm going to call her." He dialed her number, but it went straight to voicemail. "Hey Cath, give me a call when you get this."

"Feel better?"

"No, Now I feel worse. Something's not right, Danny."

"You think it has to do with, Catherine?"

Steve thought about it. His gut was telling him something wasn't right, and the feeling got worse when he thought about Catherine. "She's been having nightmares lately," he finally said. "I guess I'm just worried about her."

Danny shook his head, "I don't get you, man. You've got yourself all worked up with worry over Catherine's nightmares, but you won't call her your girlfriend!"

Steve looked over at his friend before looking back at the road, "Really, Danno? That's what you take from this. Fine, if it's so important to you I'll say it. Catherine is my girlfriend!"

"It's about time!" Danny cheered, "Say it again!"

"You're ridiculous. You know that, don't you?" Steve told him, but there was a smile on his face, the nagging feeling of something being wrong getting pushed to the back of his mind.

* * *

Catherine was tired of waiting. She had been sitting on the bed staring at the wall for what felt like hours. She wanted out, she was tired of feeling helpless. Helpless wasn't her, never had been, and she wasn't starting now. She stood up again, this time looking for something that could be used as a weapon. There was nothing in the room, quite literally, just the bed and it was bolted down, but in the bathroom she found a far of soap.

The bar of soap in the stocking was an old trick. She was willing to go old school, but she didn't have a stocking, not even a sock, as she had worn sandals to lunch. She was never doing that again, she mused. She hurried back to the bed, looking for something she could use. She dismissed the blankets at the end of the bed, but decided the sheets could work. She just needed to find something to cut into it and she might be able to tear it into strips.

She knelt by the bed, looking for any sharp ragged edge she could find. On the part of the bed that was bolted down she found what she was looking for. It took some finagling but she managed to make a tiny tear it. She climbed back onto the bed, the sheet over her lap, and started ripping it into strips.

* * *

When the door opened Steve looked at the petite brown haired woman. She was pretty in a mild sneak up on you sort of way, and she was eyeing him suspiciously. "Are you Leslie Burns?"

The look got even wearier as she asked, "Who's asking?"

"My name is Commander Steve McGarrett and this is my partner Detective Danny Williams. We're from the 5-0 taskforce and were here about Scott Monroe."

She sighed and turned around walking back into her house, "Come on in 5-0. What the asshole do now?"

Steve and Danny shared a look before following Leslie Burns into her kitchen. It was a nice open kitchen, with the burners on the island. As Leslie started to put a teakettle on Danny said, "He's been murdered."

Her hands on the kettle stilled and she sighed, blinking back tears, "I had a feeling. I just didn't want it to be true."

Steve looked at her with his usual look of suspicion, "You had reason the believe this was going to happen?"

She grabbed a tea cup her hands shaking, "Nothing in particular. Scott was just." She shrugged, "A screw up. I loved the man, but he was a screw up. Always getting himself in trouble, always trying to get the next big score. Did I mention a crook as well as a screw up?" She looked up at them, "Tea?"

Steve said, "No thanks," with a shake of his head, but Danny said, "Yes, please. Scott's coworkers said they had seen him arguing with a man a few times over the last week. Any idea who it was?"

She grabbed a second cup, putting tea bags in both, and pouring the hot water over them. "Larry Malone. Used to be Irish Mob, back in Boston, but they got tired of him and kicked him out. Awful generous if you ask me. Anyway, now he's just hired muscle. Tried to branch out on his own though, and that's how he met up with Scott. Scott set him up with some job that needed to be done. Always playing the middle man, never wanting to get his hands dirty."

Leslie handed Danny his tea and than invited the men to join her at the kitchen table, raising an eyebrow at the surprised looks they were giving her for all the information, "What? You two never hear of pillow talk?"

"Well I have, but this one." Danny turned to Steve, "Does Catherine…."

Steve cut him off, "Please, Leslie, continue."

Leslie looked at him knowingly and teased, "Trouble in paradise?"

Danny answered for his friend, "Commitment issues."

Leslie smiled while Steve scowled, "Ah, so the norm then. Alright, alright. Scottie knew of some girl who's old man needed a little roughing up and Scottie put her in touch with Larry. See her old man apparently wasn't your average wife beater, connected some how." She waved that away, "Turned out to be some sort of con. Couldn't tell you the details on that part, but Scottie wanted his cut of the money, and Larry wanted revenge for getting played, and as the woman skipped town, he decided to blame Scottie for setting the whole thing up." She blinked back tears again, "I figured it wouldn't end well."

"Think if we showed you a picture, you could ID him?" Danny asked, starting to pull up the image that Chin had sent him off the security tapes.

She nodded, "Damn straight I could. He came around here a few times." She turned her head to look out the window, as if trying to decide if she wanted to share something. It was only moments before she turned her head back, "Truth is, a man like Larry Malone, I'm surprised he didn't kill Scottie the moment the job went South. A man like that wouldn't think twice about murder."

Danny showed her the picture on his phone, "This him?"

Leslie looked at the picture, "Yeah, that's the Bastard." She picked up her teacup pushing her hospital ID out of the way at the same time.

Steve noticed and asked, "Are you a nurse."

She smiled, "I am. You're wondering how someone so put together or whatever you want to call it could ended up head over heels for such a screw up?" At Steve and Danny's shared nod she shrugged, "I learned a long time ago not to fight what the heart wants, it makes you a lot happier if you just give in, and stop questioning it, stop worrying." She glanced out the window again, "Even knowing how it ends, I'd do it again."

Steve thought of Catherine and how long they had danced around commitment, how they still danced around it despite what he had said to Danny and smiled, "That's good advice." He stood up, "And I'm sorry for your loss."

She stood up as well, "Thank you, and if it's Larry and even if it's not, find the Son of a Bitch, will you?"

Steve shook her hand, "That's a promise."


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii-Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Chapter 3

Catherine heard the door handle rattle and quickly moved into position. She knew they wanted her alive, so she had to try. She had managed to tear strips off the sheet and had tied the bar of soap securely between three pieces and had then braided the pieces together. When the door opened she swung her weapon up into the face of the first man that entered, breaking his nose. He cried out in pain alerting the other two men behind him.

The man with the broken nose was pushed into the room by the man behind him and Catherine swung again. She managed to hit the next man in the stomach, but he was quicker to respond, grabbing the bar of soap and pulling Catherine towards him. She saw it coming and let go of the soap, the man's sudden lack of resistance pushing him backwards.

When the man with the broken nose came back into the fight, Catherine found herself in hand to hand combat and quickly overpowered. It finally ended with Catherine being held, her arms behind her back. Her lip was bleeding from a blow to the face and her left cheek was aching. Her right side was going to have a nasty bruise, but then again so would the man. These men were professionals, not just hired thugs.

"Well, well," a man with a faint Spanish accent said, he had been the third man, who had continued to hide out in the corridor until she was restrained, but now he entered the room. "Feisty aren't you. No wonder Commander McGarrett is so fond of you."

Catherine was breathing hard, blood dripping down her cheek, her loose hair half falling in her face. She tried to shake it out of her eyes, but didn't have much luck. Finally she asked, "What do you want with me?"

"With you?" The man with the accent asked, almost in surprise, "Nothing. No, this is all about Commander McGarrett. You're our ticket to him."

"I won't give you anything." She declared and was rewarded with her hand being bent backwards by the man who had her restrained. She called out in pain.

He took a step closer to her. He was tall, taller than Steve she mused, and with a sympathetic smiled said, "Lt. Rollins. Don't worry we want you alive." He gave a slight shrug, "For now." He started to pace in front of her, "We've left an obvious trail for Mcgarrett, he'll find you, and when he does we'll kill you. So he can watch."

"You kill me, and Steve will kill you." This time her sass cost her a jab to her knee.

The man nodded. "That's quite likely." He started to walk from the room, but stopped, looking back at her over his shoulder, "Better hope he takes a while to find you because you're only alive until he does." He nodded to his men and with one last blow behind the knee to keep her on the floor, the men left, locking the door behind them.

* * *

It was late afternoon when Steve and Danny pulled up in front of Larry Malone's house. They were about to step out of the car when Danny's cell phone rang.

"Williams."

"Danny. Ballistics came back. Scott Monroe was killed with a .22 caliber handgun." Kono told him when he answered.

"Great, we'll go see if Larry Malone owns one." He hung up and repeated what Kono had told him.

"Let's hope he's home." Steve replied getting out of the car and heading towards Larry's front door. They rang the doorbell and waited but no one answered. Steve looked at Danny, "Check around back?"

"Aye, aye, Captain!"Danny said with a sarcastic salute and started moving to circle the building.

"That's Commander," Steve corrected him, going the other direction. They didn't make it around back before Danny spotted the body through the window. "Steve, we got a body."

They pulled their guns, Danny checking the front door while Steve covered him. The door was open and they entered the house, checking all the rooms and clearing them. The two men holstered their weapons and while Steve checked for a pulse on the man on the floor, Danny pulled up the picture of Larry Malone on his phone.

"Dead." Steve said, pulling back his hand and lowering into a squatting position, his arms resting across his thighs.

Danny squatted down too and compared the picture to the phone, "Definitely Larry Malone."

Steve stood and looked around the room, there was no sign of a struggle and Larry had a .22 pistol in his right hand. Steve looked at Danny, "Suicide?"

Danny stood, "Appears that way, but Max will tell us more. This doesn't make any sense though; from what Leslie Burns told us about him he doesn't seem the type. Why pop yourself when you'd just got your revenge?"

Steve nodded, "Something doesn't feel right here. Let's get Max and CSU down here." While they walked around looking for any other evidence Steve tried Catherine again. He didn't know what he would say to her if she answered, he just wanted to hear her voice. He still had a bad feeling, the feeling just getting worse when it went straight to voicemail. He didn't bother leaving a message, just ended the call and slid the phone back into his pocket. Danny looked at him, "Catherine?"

"Yeah, still not answering."

"Why don't we swing by when we're done here?" Danny suggested.

Steve thought about it, ordinarily he would say no, but there was something about the day that just didn't feel right. "Yeah, let's do that."

Danny nodded, "Good, can we get back to work now?"

* * *

"What's it look like, Max?" Steve asked the medical examiner who had just finished his examination of the body.

For the second time that day Max sat up from leaning over a body to look up at Steve and Danny, "Well initial observations say suicide, but I'll know more after the autopsy."

Danny looked at Steve, "And they're running ballistics on the .22 we found in Larry's hand, to see if it's a match to the slug Max pulled out of Scott Monroe. So it looks like we can get out of here and check on Catherine." Danny had noticed his partner's agitation and was more fed up with it than anything else. He was hoping going by Catherine's house would put Steve at ease.

"Something wrong with, Catherine?" Kono asked, looking up in worry. She and Chin had shown up to assist after Steve had phoned Max.

"Steve's got a feeling that something's not right. Catherine's been having nightmares and Steve's worried about her." Danny answered for him.

"Danno!"

"What? You've been driving me nuts all day." He turned back to Kono, "And her cell's going straight to voicemail so were going to go by her place and make sure everything's alright."

Kono nodded, "We'll finish up here. You guy's go. Let me know."

* * *

When they pulled up in front of Catherine's house the first thing Steve said was, "Her car's not here."

"Maybe it's in the garage." Danny got out of the car as Steve rounded the front of it.

"No, Cath never parks in the garage. Drives me nuts." He walked up to her front door and slammed on it, "Cath! It's Steve, open up!"

Danny stood next to Steve and looked inside the window, "Everything looks good in there." Steve pushed Danny out of the way and looked in the window himself. "Come on Steve, she's probably just ran out for dinner."

"Then why's her phone off?"

"Maybe she got called into a meeting at the base," Danny threw his hands up in exasperation. "Come on, Steve, let's go get Grace and grab some food. She'll make you feel better. She makes everyone feel better. Catherine would never miss surfing in the morning. If we don't see her tomorrow than we'll worry, okay?"

Steve took a deep breath, "Okay. You're right Gracie will make me feel better."

* * *

"Danno! Uncle Steve!" Grace yelled out as she ran up to them, hugging them both.

"Are you ready for dinner, Monkey? We're starving."

"Can we go the shrimp truck?" She asked her father excitedly while Steve watched amused.

"We were just there for lunch, today." Danny opened the door and pushed the seat forward so she could climb in.

Before she sat down she gave him her best puppy dog eyes, "Please, please, please, I want to see Kamekona!"

Danny looked at Steve for support but knew it was futile when he could see his partner's smile and shrug of his shoulders as he said, "You heard the girl, let's go."

"You laugh now, but may you be so blessed some day." Danny turned back to Grace, "Alright, you win." He pointed his finger at her, "This time."

Grace grinned as did Steve and by the time they pulled into the parking lot near the shrimp truck he was feeling better, until they parked and he saw the little blue corvette sitting in the same spot he and Catherine had parked it in this morning.

"Danny," he whispered, the tone of his voice making his partner instantly alert. Steve pointed out the window, "That's Catherine's car in the exact place we parked it this morning."

"I thought we weren't going to see, Catherine." Grace too was looking out the window.

"We weren't, Monkey. You stay here, okay? Uncle Steve and I are just going to make sure everything's okay." Steve and Danny got out of the car and pulled their weapons, approaching Catherine's car slowly. Everything was clear. No window's broken, no signs of struggle.

"I don't understand. Where is she?" Steve looked around and then froze.

"What, what is it?" Danny demanded.

Steve didn't answer just dropped to his knee, grabbing the cell phone from underneath a nearby car. He stood up and showed the phone to Danny, "This is Catherine's. Someone took her."


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: I just wanted to say a thank you to all of you have left such great reviews! Each review need a 'like' button!

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Chapter 4

The Five-0 task force swept the parking lot where Catherine was taken. Steve was barking orders and yelling at anyone who got in his way. The parking lot had video cameras and Kono was working on getting the footage, but Danny and Chin were spending all their time trying to keep Steve away from his unsuspecting victims. Finally, they sent him back to Five-0 headquarters. Steve knew he had been too unfocused, too frantic, and too worried to be anything more than a hindrance, but he had been desperate to find her. Danny finally knocked some sense into him, quite literally, and then sent him back until he was calm enough to be of help. He had to do something, so to keep himself occupied he was looking through Catherine's phone records, trying to find anything that would lead him to her, when the rest of the team returned.

As they all walked in Kono called out, "Steve, there's something you should see. We've got the footage from the security camera in the parking lot." She put her phone on the smart table and pushed the video footage onto the big screen while Danny put Grace in his office. She had refused to go back to her mother, wanting to know more about Catherine.

Steve's jaw was clenched before Kono even hit play and as the video began to play, Steve felt his heart stop. There was Catherine, his Catherine, walking back to her car after he had left her this morning. He was so focused on her he didn't even flinch when the two men came from off screen and attacked her. He almost smiled when he saw her fight back and thought to himself, _That's my girl, _but when he watched her go limp he felt his fists clench.

When they put her in the trunk of the car and drove away he turned and walked into his office, trying to contain his rage and his fear. His Catherine. He didn't even realize he was doing it, but in the next moment he had put his hand through the wall.

"Don't you think you should save that for her kidnappers?" Danny's voice came from behind him.

Steve turned towards his best friend, and Danny could see the grief on his face, could see that his friend was at a momentary loss for words. Finally Steve lifted his hands in a helpless gesture and then quietly said, "Danno," and suddenly he felt defeated, terrified, and close to hysteria, all his training gone with the kidnapping of the woman he loved. He looked his best friend straight in the eye, "It's my Cath, Danno, they took my Cath." A couple of steps and he had dropped onto the couch in his office, elbows on his knees, head between his hands. "I can't loose her."

Danny sat down next to him, "And you're not going to. We're going to find her, but you have to snap out of this. Catherine needs you. She needs the Super SEAL."

"Uncle Steve?" Grace said timidly, her head poked around the doorway, tears on her cheeks.

Steve looked up and felt his focus shift back into place. He had scared Grace. He held our his arms, "Come here." She rushed into his arms, "I'm sorry I scared you, Grace."

"Is Catherine okay?" she whispered.

"Some bad men took her, but I'm going to get her back." Steve told her, wiping the tears off her cheeks, "We're going to find her."

"Which is why we need to get you home." Danny stood up trying to take his daughter's hand.

"No, I'm not leaving until you find her."

"Monkey…"

"No!" She had stood up from her Uncle Steve and even stomped her foot for emphasis.

Danny looked at Steve who shrugged and said, "Don't look at me, I know how she feels."

"Of course, what was I thinking." He looked back down at his daughter, "Let's get you set up on the couch in my office then."

"Okay." She gave Steve one more hug, "I know you'll find her, Uncle Steve."

"Thanks Gracie." Steve looked up at Danny, "I just need a minute."

Danny nodded and led Grace out of the room. Steve put his head back between his hands. He took a deep breath, he needed to calm down, but he just kept thinking that if he hadn't left her today, if he hadn't been called in on a case, she wouldn't have been taken. His head shot up, or maybe she was taken _because_ he had been called in.

He jumped up and hurried back into the main room, "Rewind that footage and play it again."

Kono immediately did what he asked. Steve watched closely this time, looking at the men, not just at Catherine, and that's when he saw him, "Pause. There." He pointed at the screen, "That's Larry Malone. This whole thing was a setup. Scott's Monroe's murder was just to get me away from Catherine. Catherine was the target."

* * *

Catherine groaned as she tried to get comfortable on the tiny little bed. Her left cheek was throbbing too much to put it against the pillow, but the blow she had taken to the right side felt like it might have cracked a rib. She tried to shift her position but the jab she had taken to her knee was smarting. That man hadn't known him own strength, she mused.

Using her right leg to support herself she turned onto her back, cradling the wrist they had bent with her other hand. So far this was the best position for her aches, but she'd never been good at sleeping on her back. She was annoyed with herself for being so bruised, but if she had to do it again she would still fight back.

She was scared, as much for herself as for Steve. This was a trap for him and she was the bait.

* * *

"Catherine's purse." Kono said. "In the video they left it behind but we didn't find it."

"Chin, run her financials see if there's been any activity on her credit cards. Kono, let's fast-forward the video, see if anyone fount it. Where are we on tracking down the car?" Steve was already looking at the board waiting for Kono to start the video.

Chin responded to Steve's question as he pulled up Catherine's credit card statements on the smart table, "HPD is still canvassing for it."

Steve didn't respond to Chin answering him, he was too intent on watching the video, hoping to see who had taken Catherine's purse, but not expecting it to help find her. "There," Kono pointed at a homeless man who picked up Catherine's purse, looking around to make sure no one saw him before walking off with it.

"Kono, find that guy."

"You got it boss."

Danny walked into the main room, "Just got off the phone with Catherine's CO and the rest of her unit, none of them could think of anyone who'd want to take her, and other than seeming a little run down, they hadn't noticed her acting any different."

Steve shook his head in confusion, "That's because she hasn't been acting any differently. Other than the nightmares she's the same old, Cath."

"Well her CO said call if we need help, we have their entire resources at our disposal."

Steve nodded, feeling better that they would have such resources if they needed them. "That's good. We'll probably need them. Alright, I'm going to keep looking at Catherine's phone records. Danny why don't you help Kono find the man who took Cath's purse."

"On it, buddy."

Steve walked back into his office and sat down at his desk. It was reaching one in the morning, but he knew none of them would sleep until they found her. Catherine's phone records were spread out over his desk, he saw phone calls and texts between the two of them, and calls between her and Kono. He smiled, those two had really started to get close. For the other calls he'd pulled out Catherine's contact book and cross-referenced the numbers of her friends and family with those in the records. There were a couple calls to and from her parents, and a few more to her sister. As he went through the list he started crossing off the phone calls that were unrelated. After getting rid of his calls, Kono's, and Catherine's family, there were only a few left. That's when he noticed the five missed calls to Catherine's landline. They were all during times that she had been staying with him, and all from the same number.

He grabbed his phone and called the phone company. When they answered he said, "This is Commander Steve McGarrett, Five-0. I need to find out who the number 8085559769 belongs too."

"Of course, sir. Can you repeat the number?"

"8085559769."

"Just a moment."

Steve kept the phone to his ear and looked out his office windows into the main room where Kono and Danny were hunched over the smart table and tapped his pen against the desk impatiently.

"Okay, sir. I've got the name. It belongs to a woman named Esmeralda Santiago."

Steve froze, his blood turning cold. His eyes saw his team, his friends, through the window of his office, but his brain didn't register them. His ears heard the woman on the phone asking if he needed anything else, but the words were barely an echo. Esmeralda Santiago, the name was a mantra in his head as he tried to process what he had just heard. She was dead. He knew that. Had seen Esmeralda's lifeless body with the bullet holes from his gun through her forehead. He hung up the phone.

This was more than his team could handle by themselves. They would never be able to get to Catherine in time, not before he killed her. That would be the point; he would lead Steve straight to her, only to kill her as soon as Steve had Catherine in his sights. That was how Esmeralda had died, not by design, but by chance. Self-defense against a world-renowned assassin as her husband tried to come to her assistance. Carlos Santiago had been planning his revenge for a long time, waiting for the one woman whose death would destroy Steve. No, he needed more than just his team for this one. He needed someone that had skills beyond his own; someone who Carlos did not know existed because the world thought her dead. He needed the ex-spy. He needed his mother.


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note: Hey guys! Thanks again to those of you who left reviews. There were a couple that just made my day! This story takes place before Steve and Doris work together to get her microfiche back.

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Chapter 5

Steve was grabbing his keys and his cell phone getting ready to dash out to find his mother when Danny came in, "We found the guy that took Cath's purse."

"Great, why don't you go with Kono, bring the guy in. See what he knows." Steve started to walk past Danny, but Danny grabbed him.

"Wait, Steve, where are you going? Did you find something?"

Steve stopped, looking around to see where Chin and Kono were, and then he turned back to Danny. "I know who has her, and we need help."

"Who, who has her? And what do you mean we need help?" Danny demanded, looking up at his friend. When Steve hesitated Danny said, "Steve, talk to me."

He hesitated again, but finally said, "His name is Carlos Santiago. I killed his wife and he's been waiting for years to get his revenge. He's been waiting for the right woman to be in my life."

"You mean Catherine. He's going to kill Catherine because it will destroy you." Danny's face showed his concern and understanding.

Steve nodded, "This guy is good. You know this is a trap, but what you don't know is that Santiago will have it booby trapped. It doesn't matter what we do, Catherine will be killed."

"This guy is that good?" Danny asked in almost disbelief.

"He's that good, Danno, and I'm not going to risk it. I'm not going to risk Catherine's life. We need help."

Danny nodded and threw his hands up, "Okay. Great. Who?"

Steve sighed, "My mother."

Danny's eyebrow's shot up and then nodded, "Okay, great. Your mother. The woman whose been lying to you, who just lied to you! Not to mention it's almost the middle of night!"

"I don't have a choice, Danny. I need her. She was a spy. She can get in and get Catherine out without being seen. For the moment we can set our issues to the side, and after all Doris has put me through she deserves an early morning wake up call. Besides she's the best, and that's what I need. Nothing matters but getting Catherine back alive."

Danny was quiet for a moment, but than finally he nodded and said, "You're right she's the best. Want me to go with you?"

"No, I got to do this alone. You go help Kono, bring the guy in, see what he knows."

"You got it."

* * *

Things had been tense between him and his mother since Catherine had revealed Doris's secret, and Doris had revealed the rest of it. Steve was still angry with her, hurt and betrayed by the fact that she had lied to him again, and that she had made Catherine lie to him. He knew how much it had upset Catherine to do it, and they had worked things out between them, but he couldn't understand why his mother couldn't confide in him.

He shook his head; they would work it out, he and his mother, but not today. Today he had to find Catherine. Steve climbed out of his truck and walked up to the house that his mother was hiding out in. He rang the doorbell and stood, almost nervously, waiting for it to be answered. When it wasn't answered right away Steve started to yell, "Mom, it's Steve. Answer the door!"

"Steve, what are you doing here?" Doris's voice came from behind him.

Steve whipped around to find his mother standing behind him, the gun in her hands aimed right at his heart. "Mom, the gun, do you mind?"

Doris glanced down at the gun in her hands, "Oh, sorry Steve. Can't be too careful." She gave him a look, "Especially since it's nearly two in the morning, not that I'm not happy to see you, but what are you doing here?" She walked past him and opened the front door, "The last time I saw you, you weren't too happy with me."

"I'm still not, but I need your help." He followed her into the house.

She walked into the kitchen, setting the gun down on the counter and turned to look at her son. "Must be important."

He nodded, "It is. Catherine's been kidnapped and I need your help getting her back."

Doris didn't say anything at first, didn't let her concern show, even though she had started to think of Catherine as part of the family. But she had been a spy for many years, and on the run for many years after that, and her instinct was to take action first. Finally she said, "You know she's alive then?"

Steve walked up to the counter, standing in front of it with his arms crossed. "He wouldn't kill her, not until I'm there to watch her die."

"So you know who has her."

"Carlos Santiago."

She nodded, "I know him from my time at the agency. He's an arms dealer, not a kidnapper. Why would he take Catherine?"

Steve sighed, looking away for just a moment and then turning back to look at his mother, "I killed his wife, Esmeralda Santiago."

Doris lifted an eyebrow, "I had heard rumors that she was killed, the hired assassin finally taken down. That was you then?" She nodded, as if that made sense, "Yes, you were a SEAL by then, and it had been said to be Americans. What happened?"

Steve sat down on one of the counter bar stools. "She had me cornered, I'd gotten separated from the rest of my team. It was self-defense, but I put two in her head. Carlos had come to warn her that we were on to her, but she already knew. He got there just in time to watch me pull the trigger. He fired at me, wounded me, but I was able to get one in him. The rest of my team showed up then, but Santiago was able to get away."

"And now he's looking for revenge. This was over five years ago. Why now?"

Steve took a deep breath, not wanting to admit this to his mother, but finally saying, "He's been waiting for the right woman to be in my life."

Doris smiled, a mother's satisfied grin, "Ah, so you do love Catherine as much as she loves you."

Steve gave his mother an incredulous look, "Really? Can we talk about that at another time."

She held up her hand in apology, "Of course."

Steve's phone rang and he answered it, "Chin, what do you have?"

"They found the car. It's parked outside of an abandoned building. Well its supposed to be abandoned. For a little payment some homeless people living in the area admitted they saw a woman fitting Catherine's description being carried into the building. Also, Kono and Danny have the man who took Catherine's purse."

"Great, tell Danny to get Catherine's CO on the phone and tell him that we'll need thermal satellite imaging on that building. We'll be there soon."

"We'll," Chin asked but Steve had already hung up the phone.

Steve looked at his mother, "We've got a potential location."

She nodded, "Let's go. I'll help you in whatever way I can."

* * *

Back in Five-0 Headquarters

Danny Williams stood in half-lit interrogation room, staring at the dirty old homeless man. The man seemed unconcerned, and though both Danny and Kono knew that this man had nothing to do with Catherine's kidnapping, Danny still felt like he had to do something while they waited, especially because all the caffeine he'd had since they found Catherine's car was making him edgy. "So you're telling me you just saw the bag lying there and picked it up. You didn't see anything?"

"I figured it had money in it, I could use the credit cards to at least get some food."

Kono laughed humorlessly, "Yes, because you look like a 5'6" brunette."

The man shrugged, "In the right places, I could be the governor himself."

Danny gave a nod, knowing that the man was right, but then asked, "But you didn't see anything?"

"No, like I told you. It was just laying there. Man's got to eat." The man looked between Kono and Danny, "This woman, who the purse belongs to, she's a friend of yours?"

Danny nodded, "A good friend. My buddy's girl."

The man nodded thoughtfully, "Then I might have seen something. Not when she was taken, but there was something in the bag. I left it in there."

"You left it in there? What was it?" Danny demanded.

The man shrugged, "Looked like some sort of note. It was addressed to some Commander guy. Seemed important, so I left it there."

Danny eyed the man thoughtfully, this guy was smarter than he let on, but his gruff words denied his inner thoughts, "What, were you planning on returning the bag or something after you took the cash and used the credit cards?"

"Something like that." The man looked sad, "I had a good friend once, I hope you find her."

Danny looked at Kono, who gave a slight nod with a shrug. Danny turned back to the man, "Alright buddy, you're going to spend the night in lock up."

The man smiled like Danny knew he would, "A bed and a warm meal. Sounds like heaven."

* * *

Maybe not my strongest chapter, but stay tuned for the next, I'll get it up tomorrow!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Chapter 6

Danny and Kono were both staring at Catherine's purse. Their hands encased in gloves, ready to go through it, but neither one willing. Kono looked at Danny, "This feels wrong, going through Cath's purse."

Danny raised his hands and took a step back, looking at Kono, "How do you think I feel? She's my best friend's girl. At least you two are like BFF's. Isn't this a thing girls do? Going through each other's purses."

Chin walked in on them, "What are you guys waiting for? Her permission? Come on she's not a suspect. She's missing. This will help us find her. Besides, Kono, you two are practically best friends. I don't think Catherine's going to care if you go through her purse to save her life."

"See, I told you so!" Danny said taking a step back and folding his arms across his chest.

Kono gave Danny a slight glare and then said, "Alright. Here we go." She opened the small messenger style bag Catherine had been favoring lately. The thing was tiny, and as she went through it she realized there hadn't been any reason to be worried about going through her friend's purse. There wasn't anything other than the essentials in it. "Okay I've got chapstick, her wallet, we've already got her cell phone, and her keys. Wait, what's this?" She had been going through the pockets on the inside of the purse, when she found a folded up note. Carefully she unfolded it and spread it out on the smart table for everyone to see it.

_Commander McGarrett_

_I have something that belongs to you._

_You'll watch her die, like I watched Esmeralda._

_Looking forward to your pain,_

_Carlos Santiago_

Danny put his hand up, and took a step back, almost as if he was going to begin pacing but thought better of it, "Steve, was right. Damn it, where is he?"

"He's here." Steve's voice said from somewhere behind Danny. When Danny looked up he could see his friend and Doris walking towards the smart table, and Steve asking, "What was I right about?"

"Who took Catherine."

Chin and Kono were looking at Steve and Danny in surprise and frustration, but it was Chin who said, "Wait, you knew who took Catherine. When did you find out? Why didn't you tell us?"

Steve looked at Chin and Kono who were looking at him expectantly. Kono was really pissed. Someone had her best friend, and Steve had known who. She looked at her boss, "Steve. She means a lot to all of us. If you know something you better tell us."

Steve held up his hand, "Calm down. I wasn't trying to hide anything from you. I figured out who had her right before you figured out where the man who took Catherine's purse was, and before I told you what was going on I needed to make sure I had the help we would need to get her back."

Doris had been standing to the back, but when Steve waved at her to indicate who he was talking about, she stepped forward, simply nodding her head in greeting, and Steve continued. "The man's name is Carlos Santiago. Five years ago I killed his wife Esmeralda Santiago in self-defense. She was a well known assassin and Carlos is an arms dealer. We'd been tracking them, but the op went bad." He paused, seeing Catherine in his head, "Carlos has been waiting for the right woman to be in my life to take his revenge."

No one was quite sure what to say that, but finally it was Chin who broke the silence, "And why do we need Doris's help?" He turned towards Doris, "Good to see you again, by the way."

Doris smiled at him, "You as well. You need my help because I can get in and out with Catherine without being detected. Carlos Santiago has always been a perilous man, but when Steve killed his wife five years ago he became downright dangerous, and terrifying to say the least, because he no longer had any concern for his own safety. Any compassion he had left died with Esmeralda."

"Doris is right." Steve said turning back to his team. "The only thing we have going for us is that he is very focused, so any booby traps he has will be focused on Catherine and not towards us. His goal is to kill Catherine. We'll be able to get in no problem, it's getting Catherine out that will be the tricky part."

"Which is where Doris comes in?" Kono asked starting to understand but still annoyed with Steve.

Doris nodded, "My time with the agency made me very good at getting in and out of places, and I've worked with Santiago before. I'm familiar with his booby traps."

"We'll act as if we're going to breach the building, which will be the distraction that Doris needs to get Catherine." He turned towards Chin, "You said you had a potential location? Wait." Something suddenly occurred to him, he looked at Danny, "How did you know I was right, what did you find?"

Danny waved his hand at the table, "This. The man who took Catherine's purse was kind enough to leave it in there for you."

Steve looked at the table, and seeing the note moved closer so he could read it. He put his hands against the edge of the table so he could lean over it to get a better look at the note, but after reading it, his hands clenched around the edge of the table and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to push his terror to the back of his mind. He pictured her in his mind, the way she had looked right before he had left to work the Monroe case. Smiling up at him as he promised to bring her breakfast. For years she had been the image in his mind that kept him focused, and now was no exception. Expect this time the focus wasn't bringing him home to her, but bringing her home to him.

* * *

Catherine was exhausted, but had only drifted off to sleep here and there, too anxious and too in pain to be able to relax enough to be able to sleep. She was laying on the bed still, facing the door, wanting to be able to see any activity near the door. She was thinking about useless things, trying not to think of anything that would make her more worried about Steve, when she heard voices coming from outside her door. She sat up, forgetting about her injuries, and winced when her cracked ribs screamed in protest. Catherine wrapped her arms around her ribs, bracing them, careful not to jar her sore wrist.

By the time the door open, she was standing up, ready to face who ever came through the door, staying alert for any opportunity to escape. The two men who she had attacked last time, came through the door, sporting broken noses and black eyes, but they had learned their lesson. The first goon came through with a gun trained on her, and from behind them both she heard the faint Spanish accent again, "Restrain her."

Now that she had gotten a good look at the men, since she wasn't attacking them, she realized that they weren't the same men that had attacked her. Well one of them was, and he was the one who grabbed her by the arms and put a zip tie around her hands.

The man with the faint Spanish accent came into the room a broad smile on his face as if he was happy to see her, "The lovely Catherine Rollins. I think the Commander chose well with you. Which makes this all the sweeter. I will destroy him with your death." Catherine blanched, the man sounded almost gleeful. "I am sorry though, that you have to die in this, but you are the only way to get to him. To truly get to him is through you."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Ah sweet Catherine, I'm doing this for my own sweet Esmeralda. I'm doing this for revenge."

Esmeralda, Catherine quickly tumbled the name around in her head. It was familiar and paired with the man's Spanish accent it donned on her and she said, "Esmeralda Santiago. You're Carlos Santiago."

The man's smile grew, "Ah very good Catherine. Yes, I am Carlos Santiago."

"I remember that op, Steve killed Esmeralda in self-defense."

His smile was gone, but he didn't look angry, "You're right. It was self-defense, but that was Esmeralda's goal as well, too kill Steve before he killed her, but he did kill her. Which is why I'm going to kill you."

"Steve will kill you."

The man smiled sadly, the first real sign of emotion, not just madness that Catherine had seen in the man, and then he said, "He already has, my sweet Catherine, he already has."

* * *

"Danny, I want you to call Catherine's CO, see if he's got that satellite thermal imaging yet." Steve gave the order, but he hadn't even asked Chin where the building was.

Danny nodded, pulling out his phone and heading into his office, "You got it babe."

Steve turned to Chin, "Tell me about this building."

Chin pushed the map from the smart table up onto the big screen. "The car that was used in Catherine's kidnapping was found parked outside an old warehouse. There's a homeless camp in the parking lot a cross the street. They said they saw a woman matching Catherine's description being carried into the building, and they haven't seen anyone leave, at least not from that exit."

Steve stared at the screen, "This is it. This is the place."

Kono too was looking at the screen, but she was looking at it in disbelief, "It's that easy? It seems too easy."

It was Doris who responded, "Yes, it's that easy. Carlos wants her to be found, that's the whole point, and he wants us all to know it's him."

Danny came back in the room at that moment, and tossed his phone to Kono, "A little help here, Kono. Alright, Catherine's CO sent over the footage you asked for."

"Alright," Kono said, setting Danny's cell phone on the table, sending the footage to the screen. "Here is the footage." She hit a button on the table and a satellite image of a building appeared on the screen.

There were four heat signatures on the screen, but one of them was by itself in a small room. Danny pointed to it, "There. That has to be Catherine. Single person, small room."

Steve nodded and then pointed to a room that had three figures in it, "I agree, and one of these has to be Santiago."

Danny looked at his friend in surprise, "You think this guy stuck around. He's got to know he's a dead man if you get anywhere near him."

It was Doris who answered, "He's already dead, in his mind that is. When Esmeralda was killed, Carlos died with her." She gave her head a shake, "He's always been melodramatic."

Steve looked at his mother like he wanted to smile and then decided against it. "He's here. The whole point of this is revenge. He won't miss out on the opportunity to see it through."

"To see you, if Catherine's killed," Kono said quietly.

It was Chin who broke the silence, "We're not going to let that happen. We're not going to loose another love in this group." He looked at Doris, "You're the spy. You're the one who's going to get her out. What's the plan?"


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Chapter 7

The Five-0 team approached the building where Catherine was being held. It was now the third day that Catherine had been taken, and the team and Doris had stayed up late into the night before refining the plan to rescue her. They decided it was best to get a few hours of sleep before they started, none of them having gotten any sleep that first night, all of them working through the night to find Catherine's location.

Steve wasn't with the rest of his team when they approached the building where Catherine was being held. A comparison of city plans to the satellite images revealed a walled off section of basement, and Doris was able to use a shaped charge to blow a hole just large enough for a person to fit through in the wall. To cover the sound the HPD was playing construction outside the building, using large equipment to make all sorts of noise. While his mother was sneaking into the building, Steve wasn't hiding; he too was sneaking into the building, but he was being more obvious about it then his mother. He wanted Santiago to see him, wanted Santiago's focus to be on him, wanted the man to think he was the one going to Catherine's rescue.

As the team waited outside the building, pretending to do reconnaissance, waiting for Doris's signal, Doris was making her way to Catherine's cell. It didn't take her long to reach the hallway where Catherine was, as she had known the floor and the room, knew how many steps down the hallway, but despite knowing all that the booby traps wouldn't show up on the satellite images. Doris slowed, she didn't think there would be anything to worry about in the hallway that led to Catherine's door, but her eyes scanned the area just in case. She saw nothing.

She made her way to the door. There, that was what she'd been looking for. The small chunks of C-4 lined around the door. Doris quickly and easy dismantled the explosives, but knew better than to think that this was last thing she would have to get through. She carefully tried the door handle, but it was locked like she expected. She grabbed her lock picks, making quick work of the lock, but she didn't open it right away. Carefully she repositioned herself so she was away from the door, hiding behind the wall. She turned the door handle and then used her gun to push the door open from the bottom. She let go of the handle quickly; ducking away from the open door frame as rapidly as she could and successfully avoiding the shot gun blast that came through it. Doris didn't wait for the dust to clear, she just crouched low and made her way into the room.

* * *

Catherine didn't know what time it was when the men had come back into her room with a chair and then tied her to it, but she figured her rescue was under way. That had given her hope, but when the man with the Spanish accent had carefully set up the shot gun aimed at the door her hope started to be replaced by fear for Steve. Would he know that this trap was waiting for him? Her fear increased though when he set up another gun aimed straight at her head.

Catherine looked up into the eyes of the man who wanted to punish Steve though her, brown eyes appealing to brown eyes. "Please, don't do this." She whispered.

"My sweet Catherine, I wish I didn't have to, but the score must be settled. You must die so that my Esmeralda can have peace."

"This won't bring her back."

Santiago reached out and brushed a piece of hair off her face, "You remind me of her. You have similar spirits. I wish you didn't have to die, but you must. You're right it won't bring her back, but it will ensure that I make it to her side sooner rather than later."

With that confession of a death wish he put the gag in Catherine's mouth and left her there to die.

* * *

Catherine's heart just about stopped when the door to her room swung open, and if not for the gag in her mouth she would have breathed a sigh of relief when the shot gun shell when safely into the wall across the way, but she just about chocked on that dammed sigh when she saw Doris McGarrett come through the doorway. Doris put a finger up to her lips, quickly eyeing the situation, she followed Catherine's eyes when they quickly darted towards the corner, and when she saw the camera there she nodded.

Doris stayed low, to stay out of the camera reach, and when she was directly under it, she pulled a device out of the bag she had with her. Reaching up, careful not to make it into the camera's line of sight, she attached the device, hit a button on it, and then a couple seconds later another button. Then she turned to Catherine.

"I am so glad to see you're okay." Doris said going to her and quickly removing the gag and untying Catherine's arms. "Don't move yet though."

"Doris, what are you doing here? How did you even know?"

Doris gave her a look as she moved to examine the last booby trap. "Really Catherine? How do you think I know? I'm part of the rescue mission Steve set up. As soon as I tell them I have you, they'll enter the building. They're our distraction to get you out of here."

Catherine nodded her head and in a slightly irritated voice said, "Give me a break. I'm a little beat up and more than a little starved." Then, "My knee's a little messed up."

Now Doris looked at her in concern, "Can you walk? Will you be able to get out of here?"

Catherine nodded, "Oh yeah. I'll hop on one leg the whole way if I have too. I'm getting out of here."

Doris nodded, "Good. I'm almost done with this." She toyed with the gun just a little big longer, "Alright got it. Don't move yet." She pushed the gun away so it was no longer aimed at Catherine. "Do you know of any other booby traps?"

"No," Catherine shook her head. "Not that I know of."

"There was nothing on the chair before you sat down?"

Again she shook her head.

Doris nodded, " I'm going to double check anyway." She squatted looking under the chair, but she didn't see anything. "I don't see anything. You were supposed to die the way Esmeralda did, by a gunshot." Doris stood and took a step back, holding out her hand, "You can get up now."

Catherine took Doris's hand and stood, her knee protested, but she ignored it, she had suffered worse, and she was going home, she was going home to Steve. Doris took her in a quick hug that she was happy to return, and then Doris dragged her from the room. "Let me know if you're knee starts to bother you too much." She grabbed a radio, "Steve, I've got her. We're on our way out."

Catherine's heart leapt when she heard Steve's voice come back through the radio, "Copy that. Danny move in."

Doris stowed the radio, and took Catherine by the arm, leading her from the room. They were to the end of the hallway before Catherine whispered, "He wants Steve to kill him."

Doris looked back at her, surprise and then understanding on her face, "He died the day Esmeralda died. I suppose it only makes sense that he wouldn't want to live without her." They had gotten to a staircase and had started down it when Catherine hissed in pain, causing Doris to stop and look at her sharply, "You're knee? How bad?"

"Bad," Catherine said on a gasp, "But I'll make it down."

Doris studied her face carefully, trying to decide her next move, and then she nodded. She could see the determination on Catherine's face. "I'll go first, use me for support if you need to."

Catherine nodded, and waited for Doris to start down the stairs before going herself. Her knee protested with every step, screamed in fury, and when she tried to use her hands against the walls to support herself her wrist wouldn't take the weight. "How many flights?"

"Just two, our exit is in the basement. We're almost done with the first one."

Catherine didn't say anything, just focused on getting down the stairs. She had put her good hand on Doris's shoulder, using it for leverage to help her down. They finally reached the bottom and entered the basement, the flat surface of the floor was easier for her than the stairs. Doris had put her arm around Catherine's shoulder, allowing Catherine to hobble a little easier. Catherine looked around her, trying to find anything that could be a threat, and that's when she noticed it.

"We're almost out." Doris said, but Catherine stopped moving, "Doris wait. Over there." She pointed to a support beam where explosives where attached. Doris let go of her to go over and investigate, "Good catch. I didn't see it on my way in, too well concealed on this side of the beam."

Doris stood and looked around the basement and then pointed, "There. And there." She shook her head, "I knew that had to be more booby traps." She hurried over to Catherine, "We've got to get out of here, and we need to warn Steve."

* * *

While Doris was rescuing Catherine, Steve too was in the building. He moved quickly and quietly, resisting every cell in his body that was screaming at him to get to Catherine, but he had a different mission. Once in the building he had immediately snuck back out, via a route that could not be seen by prying eyes. He stayed in a hiding spot, waiting for his mother's word that she had Catherine. As soon as he knew she was safe he was going after Santiago, but in the mean time he had to stay out of sight of any camera. Santiago was watching this, waiting to see the devastation on Steve's face.

Steve's heart stopped when he heard his mother's voice, but then relief flooded through his veins. He wanted to talk to Catherine, hear her voice, know for himself that she was okay, but despite it all he trusted his mom, trusted that she had Catherine. So he pictured their reunion in his head, and calmly said, "Copy that. Danny move in."

Steve stood. It was time to find Carlos Santiago. Doris had been the one who had suggested that Santiago would be watching this through cameras and Steve had agreed with her. It was Catherine's CO who had found and traced the extra signal, and now Steve knew where Santiago was. He was closing in on Santiago's location when he heard Catherine's voice come through the radio.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Here's the moment you've all been waiting for!

Chapter 8

Doris was still looking at the explosives as she said, "It looks like Santiago has the whole place wired. He was going to bring the whole building down on top of you and Steve and Steve's team if the guns didn't work." She grabbed the radio and tossed it to Catherine, "You tell Steve while I check the rest of the basement and then we're out of here."

Catherine took the radio and pushed a button on it. "Steve."

Steve felt pure joy go through him at the sound of Catherine's voice, but then worry. "Cath, it's so good to hear your voice. Are you okay? Is everything okay?"

Catherine was suddenly blinking back tears, she hadn't been sure if she'd ever talk to him again. "It's so good to hear your voice too. I'm okay and so is Doris, but we've got a problem. It looks like this Santiago has the place wired to blow. Bring the whole building down."

Steve froze for just a moment, "Cath, you need to get out of there, you and mom. I've got to warn Danny."

Doris reappeared then, going straight to Catherine, "Give me the radio, we need to get out of here." She put an arm back around Catherine's shoulder, and started leading her towards the exit in the wall. "Steve. I found a timer on the bombs, it's set to go off three minutes from now."

They were to the Doris made doorway, and Catherine carefully stepped through followed by Doris.

* * *

Steve didn't even respond to his mother's comment, but was already on the radio to Danny as he turned around to run back towards the building. "Danny, pull out. Get everyone out of the building. It's going to blow in two minutes."

"Copy that," came Danny's voice through the radio, then, "Everyone out of the building, it's wired to blow. Move, move, move." The radio went silent then and Steve ran as fast as he could back towards the building. He was almost to the building when he heard his mother's voice on the radio. "Catherine and I are clear. We're in my car headed to Five-0 headquarters, it'll be easier to get paramedics in there. Make Santiago think Catherine died in that blast."

"Paramedics?" Steve's voice held a bit of panic.

"I'm fine," Came Catherine's voice. "Do as Doris says."

"Copy that." As soon as the building was in sight Steve could see that his team was clear and he would go straight through them to get to the building. He grabbed the radio for one last transmission to Danny, "Danny, go with it."

"Go with what," Danny asked looked around, and that's when he saw Steve running towards him. Danny and the rest of the team were still moving away from the building and they reached Steve just seconds before the building blew. The force of the blast pushing them forward but not down, and that's when he got a look at Steve's face as Steve started to run towards the now collapsed building, "Catherine! No Catherine!"

Danny did what his best friend asked, he went with it, "Steve, no! It's too late." Danny yelled, running after Steve and grabbing him. Steve tried to fight him off, still playing as if he was going towards the building when Chin grabbed his other arm. "Steve, it's too late. She's gone!"

Steve tried half-heartedly to shake Danny and Chin off before dropping to his knees and simply staring at the destruction in front of him. For just a moment he imagined that Catherine was gone, that he had lost the love of his life, but the dust still settling in the air before him, his ears still ringing, and Kono coming to kneel next to him, her hand lightly on his arm made it all feel too real, and for just a moment he felt as if his world had shattered. He turned to look at Kono, she was looking at him in concern, and she gave his arm a gentle squeeze before saying, "Let's go to Five-0 Headquarters. There's someone waiting for you there."

Her voice was so quiet he was positive he was the only one that heard her, but at his words he remembered that Catherine was okay, that she was alive, and waiting for him and he almost gave the whole charade away with the grin that he had to keep off his face. Instead he made his face a blank mask and allowed his team to lead him to the car. When they were there, Danny led him to the passenger seat of Kono's car, and they all gathered around him. Danny took a look around him before looking at his friend and quietly saying, "Catherine's okay right? Doris got her out?"

"Yeah. She's back at Five-O headquarters. The wanted me to make Santiago think she was dead." Steve sat in the car, his head back against the head rest, his eyes closed.

Kono held her sigh of relief in as she said, "That's great news. What's next?"

"Danny you and Chin stay here. Play point for a while. With this blast there's going to have to be someone here. Kono, you come back with me."

Kono was relieved she got to go as she was anxious to see her friend, "You got it boss." She hurried around the car and climbed into the driver's seat.

Danny looked at Steve, and before shutting the car door said, "We'll take care of things here, give your girl our love. We'll see you soon."

* * *

Steve's heart was beating like a hummingbird's as Kono drove to Five-0 headquarters. Catherine was safe, his Catherine. They had rescued her. Santiago had gotten away, but for now that would have to wait. Catherine was back. He just had to get to her. He turned to Kono, "Does this thing go any faster?"

Kono turned an exasperated, but amused look on him, "Boss."

He sighed, "Sorry."

She looked back to the road, "It's okay. I know how much you guys mean to each other. You're all she wants to talk about half the time."

Steve turned a smile on her, "Really? What does she say?"

Kono laughed, "Nice try. Best friend secret. I ain't saying a thing."

Steve was still smiling, but he laughed at that, and seemed to relax just a touch. "I just need to see her, see for myself that's she alive and okay," he whispered, and then with some of the most distraught eyes Kono had ever seen he added, "This is all my fault. Santiago went after her because I love her."

Kono took a hand off the steering wheel to reach over and give Steve's hand a gentle squeeze. "She won't blame you, and you shouldn't blame yourself, but I bet if you said those words to her instead of to me she would forgive you."

Steve looked over at Kono, studying his friend and teammates face. She didn't have to elaborate on which words. He knew, the words that both he and Catherine had danced around for years. He gave her a slight smile and nodded, but didn't have to say anything because at that moment they pulled into the parking lot of headquarters. He started to bolt out of the car but Kono stopped him, "Remember you're supposed to have just lost her. Try to look a little forlorn on the way in."

Steve sighed and only nodded. He heeded Kono's words but had to force himself to move at a normal pace into the building. He stared at his feet as much as possible, trying to avoid anyone who might want to talk to him, luckily not many had known what they were up to that morning, and he made it into the building without getting stopped. He had the bag in his hand that he had forced Kono to stop along the way to get, and his knuckles were white from gripping it, but as soon as they were in their section of the building Steve couldn't hold back any longer.

"Catherine!" He yelled out as soon as the elevator doors had opened. "Cath! Where are you?"

"I'm here." She said, her voice thick with emotion as she hobbled out of his office, not going any farther than the doorway, leaning her head against it for just a moment to drink in the sight of him.

For a moment Steve just stood there staring at her. She was still in the clothes she had been wearing two days ago, and he could see the bruising on her body, on her wrist and on her knee. He wasn't ready to think of what other injuries she might have. The bag still gripped tightly in his hand, but completely forgotten about, he closed the distance between them in five long strides. Her arms went around his neck, her face buried against his skin, "Steve. You're okay. I was so worried."

Steve could barely believe her words. He had his arms wrapped around her, holding her tightly, breathing in the smell of her, feeling her warmth against him, the rise and fall of her chest. He gave a strangled laugh, "Worried about me? Cath you were the one taken. I don't know what I would have done if something…" He couldn't even finish that sentence. "Cath," he whispered so she would pull back and look at him. He stared into her brown eyes for a moment, drinking in the sight of them before kissing her on the forehead and then the mouth. He pulled back again to look at her and whispered, "I love you. I love you Catherine Rollins, and I'm never letting you go."

Catherine was smiling, despite the tears that were suddenly streaming down her face. Tears of happiness, tears of relief, but before she could respond Steve continued with a shake of his head, "And I'm sorry it took you getting kidnapped for me to finally say what I've felt since I met you."

This time Catherine shook her head, and put a finger to his lips, the other two people in the room completely forgotten. She kissed him gently, "I love you. And I'm not sorry that it took my getting kidnapped for us to finally say it. If this isn't our normal I don't know what is?"

Steve laughed and kissed her again, cherishing the feel of her lips against his. Then he hugged her tightly again before he finally remembered the bag in his hands. "Speaking of our normal, I brought you something."

She smiled at him, her face asking what he could possibly have. He scooped her up in his arms, "Come on we'll sit on the couch." He carried her over to the couch in his office, where he carefully sat down, with Catherine deposited on his lap. She scooted down a little so her butt was on the couch and her legs were across his, but she kept her arms around his neck. She gave him a big smile, "So what did you bring me?"

He returned the smile and held out the bag with the Rainbow label on it and she laughed and kissed him on the cheek, "Breakfast! Perfect, I'm starving." She grabbed the bag from him and kissed him on the lips, "See. I love our normal."

As she leaned back to rest against the arm of the couch Steve couldn't help but feel complete joy. She was okay, they loved each other, and she had remembered that he was going to bring her breakfast before she was kidnapped. Steve gave a slight laugh, Catherine was right. They had the best normal in the world.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Author's Note: A short little chapter, with just a touch of fluff.

Chapter 9

As Catherine nibbled on her breakfast, starving, but knowing the risks of eating too much too fast, Steve was feeling complete bliss. He hadn't realized just how long those two days without her had been until he was holding her in his arms. He couldn't go two days without her, let alone a lifetime. He meant what he had told her, he was never letting her go.

In that moment he had even forgiven his mother for her lies. He would have done anything to protect Catherine and he was starting to understand why Doris had done the things she had. He looked for her then, she was standing against his desk her arms folded across her chest as she watched the reunion with a happy smile on her face. Steve smiled at her, "Thank you, Mom. I couldn't have done this without you."

She returned the smile, "For you and Catherine, anytime, anything."

Kono walked in the office then, "I've contacted the paramedics, let them know we need a team here, but that they need to be discrete. I'm going to go down and meet them in a few minutes."

Catherine looked up then and saw her best friend and exclaimed, "Kono!"

Kono grinned walking over to the couch and knelt down next to it. The two women gave each other a tight hug and Kono said, "I'm so glad you're okay, we were all so worried. Danny and Chin send their love too."

Catherine smiled, but suddenly found she was too emotional to say anything. As tears started down her cheek she laughed, and wiped them away with her forearm, waving off everyone's instant concern, "Sorry! I'm just so happy to be out of there, and to see everyone. Don't mind me."

She felt Steve take one of her hands and give it a squeeze before he just held it, and Kono gave her one more hug saying, "We don't mind. You've been through a lot." She stood up, "I'm going to go get the paramedics."

Catherine just nodded and leaned her head against Steve's shoulder. She was suddenly so tired, now that she could finally relax surrounded by people she loved. Steve put his free hand against the back of her head tangling his fingers in her hair, and she could feel as he turned his head and then kissed the side of hers before he asked, "You okay?"

"Just tired."

"You will be," he agreed. "I'll take you home soon."

"That sounds nice."

Kono soon returned with the paramedics. Steve looked at Catherine, "I'm going to talk to Doris, while they check you over. You'll be alright?"

"Of course," she told him.

"Good." He kissed her gently on the lips, "I love you."

She smiled and said back, "I love you, too."

Steve returned her smile and then kissed her on the forehead. He carefully slid out from underneath her legs, looking at his mother and nodding towards the door. He didn't give her a chance to respond, just walked out of his office, but she followed him.

He stopped so that he could still see Catherine, who was now getting checked over by the paramedics, but turned to face his mother as well. He leaned in and gave her a hug. "Thank you. Thank you for helping me save, Catherine."

Doris smiled, "Always, Steve. I know how important she is to you. I'm so glad you forgave her." She gave him a coy look, "I told you she loved you."

Steve laughed, "And you we're right, and she deserved forgiveness." He paused, "And perhaps so do you. I don't know if I'm quite ready to give it yet, but I am ready to hear you out again. The whole story, all of it, no lies this time. Not today, but sometime soon."

She nodded, an earnest look on her face, "I promise Steve. I'm trying, but I was a spy for so long, lived a double life for so long, that it's second nature for me to lie to protect the people I love."

Steve glanced over at Catherine and then back at his mother, "I'm starting to understand that. Tell me about getting Catherine out?"

"It was like we thought it would be. The primary booby traps were set up around Catherine. She was tied to a chair with a gun aimed at her head and another gun aimed to go through the door when it was open, not to mention the explosives around the door. There was a video camera in there too so he could watch it. She was supposed to die like Esmeralda, with a gun shot, and if that didn't work he would blow the whole place." She paused, watching Steve's fist clench again before he forced himself to relax, then she continued, "He didn't want you dead though. Catherine told me something he had said to her. Basically that he wanted you to kill him, that's the second half of his plan. Destroy you through Catherine, so the only thing you can think of is revenge, so you'll kill him and he can return to Esmeralda."

"He wants me to kill him?" Steve said in disbelief.

Doris nodded, "Yes, that's what I think."

Steve ran his hand over his face, looking back at his office door where Catherine was having her vitals taken, while the other paramedic looked at her wrist. "So why have me fake Catherine's death?"

"Because if he thought his plan had failed Santiago would flee, go into hiding, lick his wounds, and prepare to attack again. This way he'll stay here, on the island at least. The job's only half finished in his eyes." Doris too glanced at Catherine, "He'll be waiting for you too find him. He'll make it easy. He might even find you."

"Okay, so this keeps Santiago around so we can find him and finish this. That's good, Cath deserves for this to be over. I just want to get her home."

Doris was shaking her head, "She can't go home yet, to yours or hers. She knows this, we've already talked about it."

Steve looked at Catherine who was cringing as the paramedics looked at her knee, "Where then?"

"She'll stay with me."

That got Steve's attention and his head whipped back around to look at his mom, "With you?"

"Yes, with me. Santiago doesn't know I'm alive, it's the best option and it keeps her out of a HPD safe house. Besides, Catherine's already agreed."

"Great, just what I need my girlfriend and my mother spending time together. Don't convince her to lie to me again."

Doris gave him a stern look, "I thought you had forgiven her."

"I have forgiven her, I haven't forgiven you."

Doris continued her stern look for another moment before trading it for a smile, "I'm going to ignore that for now and focus on you calling Catherine you're girlfriend."

"What is with everyone? All anyone seems to care about is whether or not I call her my girlfriend!" Steve exclaimed.

Doris was giving him a surprised look, "You're surprised by this Steve." She asked him incredulously, "You two have been dancing around your feelings for each other for years now, and your team has seen the last three years of it. They want to see you happy, and Catherine does that."

Steve sighed, thinking about his mother's words. "She does make me happy, and I get what you're saying." He looked up to see the paramedics walking towards him.

"Sir, can we talk to you?" one of them asked.

They had his immediate attention. "How is she? Is she okay?"

"She has a sprained wrist and a cracked rib. She's dehydrated, and I'm concerned about her knee, it's needs a doctor. She's going to be fine though, and she can go home anytime since she's refusing to go to the hospital. I would recommend getting her to a doctor as soon as possible though. We've started her an IV." The paramedic looked over his shoulder at Kono and Catherine, before saying, "Both women assured us they knew what to do with an IV."

Steve smiled, "They do, and thank you. I'll make sure she gets medical attention. Things are a little complicated right now. Officer Kalakaua explained the situation to you, that this woman's identity must remain a secret?"

The paramedic gave Steve a smirk, "Sir, this isn't the first time we've worked with your team, we're used to your odd requests, and don't worry her name was never given to us."

Steve just shook his head ruefully as they walked away. He looked back at his mother, "To your house I guess." He didn't wait for his mother to respond. Catherine was smiling at him as he approached. She looked tired, but relieved. She had an IV in the back of her good hand, and Kono was holding the bag of fluids for her. Steve walked up to her putting his hands to either side of her, but on the back of the couch, and kissed her, "Are you okay?"

Catherine lifted her left hand, which was now bandaged, and put it against his cheek, "Beat up, bruised, tired. Steve can we go now? I just want to go home." She shrugged, "Well as close to home as I can get." She hesitated, looking insecure, "You're coming with me?"

"Catherine, I'm not leaving you today. Santiago can wait for tomorrow." He kissed her forehead, then her cheek, before whispering in her ear, "Tonight it's just you and me."


	10. Chapter 10

Discalimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Author's Note: A chapter of pure fluff for you! We'll get back to the problem of Santiago in the next chapter!

Chapter 10

Catherine was sitting in the backseat of Steve's truck. She had wanted to sit in the front, but he wouldn't let her. Insisted that it was too much of a risk, that they had faked her death for a reason. She tried to point out that his windows were so tinted that it didn't really matter, no one would be able to see her, but when he had finally looked at her taking her face between his hands and quietly said, "I love you Catherine, I'm not risking loosing you again," she had simply nodded and allowed him to help her into the backseat.

She had her legs straight out across the back seat so she could keep her leg elevated, and her back was leaning against the door. Her head was to the back against the headrest, but she had her left hand up on the top of Steve's seat, and he had reached up and wrapped his hand around hers. He couldn't seem to stop touching her, and though neither one of them were overly touchy-feely she liked this change. She too needed the reassurance of his touch, that she was safe and with him, and that he was safe, that he hadn't been killed trying to rescue her. If she had survived this and he hadn't she would never have been able to get over it.

The whole thing was so surreal. Part of her couldn't believe it had happened. Couldn't believe she had been held hostage for the last two days by a psychopath that wanted to kill her just to punish Steve. She pushed away those thoughts and instead focused on the near future. She wanted to take a shower first of all, wash away all the grime from her ordeal, and then she wanted to lay down with Steve's arms around her and sleep. She shifted her hand so she could twine her fingers with Steve's. She was going to enjoy every moment of this touchy-feely-ness while she could. She gave his fingers a gentle squeeze, which he returned and then asked her, "You okay back there?"

"Mmhmm." She murmured, in more of a sleepy haze then she had realized.

"Okay, we're almost there."

A few seconds later Steve was pulling the truck into his mother's garage and turning off the engine. He jumped out and went around the car to the passenger side where Catherine was carefully scooting down the bench seat to him. She put her arms around his neck and he scooped her up in his arms. He carried her into the house and asked, "What do you want first?"

She had her head resting against his shoulder, eyes closed, enjoying the feel of being held, "Shower, I want a shower and then bed. I need sleep and so do you, which is why you're going to join me in bed."

"Oh I am?"

She nodded against his skin, her eyes still closed, "Yup, you are."

He carefully set her down so her feet were on the bathroom floor, causing her to open her eyes and find Steve smirking at her, "You want me to join you in the shower too?"

She laughed, "You gonna help me wash my hair, cause you know my wrist is kind of messed up."

She started unwrapping her wrist, and Steve took it in his hands and kissed the inside of it. "I'll help you wash your hair."

"That's very generous of you."

He started to lift her shirt off, "I'll even help you undress."

Catherine smiled and lifted her arms but then cringed when the movement interfered with her broken rib. She managed to gasp out, "My rib," to appease Steve's worried look.

Steve sighed, giving her a mock reproachful look, "You have got to stop cracking your rib cage, Cath."

She glared at him for a moment, "It's not as if I do this on purpose." She carefully pulled off her shirt, and Steve could see the last of her bruising. A giant purple and black mark down her side. Catherine too was looking down at her side, and didn't see Steve's change in demeanor.

"Cath…" Steve started, but his tone made Catherine's head whip up and she looked at him.

She put her hands on either cheek and forced him to look at her. "Steve, don't. Don't you dare. This wasn't your fault. My getting hurt in North Korea wasn't your fault, and my getting kidnapped wasn't your fault."

He was shaking his head, his eyes suddenly moist, and his throat was thick with emotion. "Cath. I just…" He tried to look away but Catherine forced him to look at her and he continued, "You keep getting hurt because of me, because of my past." He lifted his hands and took Catherine's face in his hands, mirroring the hold she had on him and stared into her eyes and Catherine was amazed to see the emotion there and to see the depth of it. "Cath I love you. If something had happened to you because of me..." He shook his head unable to continue.

"Steve," she said sharply to get his attention, and then more softly, "Don't. Don't take this on yourself. You would never let me, you would never let your team, and I'm not going to let you. This isn't your fault." She kissed him gently before pulling back and whispering, "I love you Steve McGarrett. I love you and I'm not going anywhere, no matter what crazy psychos are in your past."

He nodded, but didn't say anything, and Catherine smiled at him, "You understand me, Commander? I love you. You mean everything to me too."

He smiled back at her, but still didn't say anything so she repeated, "You understand me, Commander?"

He laughed this time and nodded saying, "I understand you Lt."

"Good. Now get out of those clothes." She commanded.

Steve simply nodded, a smile on his face as he leaned closer to her and kissed her. As his lips explored hers, his tongue battling with hers, he reached behind her undoing her bra, and then let it slide onto the floor. He could feel her smile against him and she put her hands on his back, slipping them under his shirt to feel his skin, before slipping them into the top of his cargo pants. Slowly sliding them around to unbutton the front she lightly nipped his lip, and then kissed him with a fierceness that he hadn't been expecting and the next thing he knew she had his pants off.

He laughed against her lips and kicked them the rest of the way off, and as he kissed her jaw line, gently kissing the faint bruises that were there, his fingers were undoing her shorts and then slipping inside. With impatience she pulled her shorts and underwear off in one go and then pulled Steve's shirt off. Ignoring the twinge in her wrist she pushed herself up so she was sitting on the counter and she wrapped her arms around his neck, twining her fingers into his hair.

Steve moved closer, pressing his body against hers, needing the skin on skin contact, and with Catherine sitting on the counter her arms wrapped around him they made love. Perhaps for the first time, even in this unromantic setting, without candlelight or rose petals, this was the most sensual sex they had ever had. Everything felt heightened. Everything was more intense. For years they had only expressed their feelings for each other in the physical, in the small acts, but now that they had said the words they felt a freedom with each other that neither one had ever experienced before. This time was about more than sex, their bodies craved each other, but not just for the lust, but for the reassurance that the other lived, that they were safe in each other's arms, but also to freely express their love, because they no longer had to dance around each other. They climaxed together, and then collapsed onto the other, Cath's head rested against his chest and he tucked his cheek against her hair.

They simply stayed that way for a moment, embracing each other, no words left at the moment, their energy spent. Steve lifted his head and Catherine did the same. He took her face between her hands and kissed her all over. She captured his lips with her own to stop him and he smiled before she pulled back to look at him and say, "Shower time, before I fall asleep from the most amazing sex we've ever had."

He laughed at that as he kissed her one more time on the forehead and then pulled away to turn on the shower. "Liked that did ya?"

She smirked at him, glad to be falling back into their familiar teasing, "Nearly as much as you did."

He just shook his head at her, "Low blow."

Her laugh was music to his ears; he didn't think he would ever tire of hearing it. He came over to her and started unwrapping her knee, "Let's get this off."

They took the bandage off and then Steve helped her get into the shower. He followed her in, and helped her wash her hair like he had promised. The shower was quick, but they both felt better for it. She turned off the water and Steve grabbed a towel and gently wrapped her in it before wrapping one around his waist. He gently picked her up and she wrapped her arms around his neck and let her carry her to the bed. They slid under the covers, dressed only in their towels, and cuddled up together, mindful of Catherine's injuries. Steve lay on his back, with Catherine's head pillowed on his chest, her bad knee sandwiched carefully between his legs. She knew it would hurt more when she woke up because of it, but she didn't care. Her left hand was twined with Steve's and his other hand was playing with her still wet hair. Steve could feel the rise and fall of her chest even out and was surprised she wasn't asleep when he heard her voice quietly say, "Thank you for rescuing me, Steve."

"I would have torn the island apart to find you."

"Love you." Was the last thing she whispered before she finally fell asleep. It was only moments later that Steve finally felt relaxed enough after the last few days to fall asleep too.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Author's Note: A little more fluff, but an important conversation.

Chapter 11

Steve couldn't believe it was early afternoon when he woke up, Catherine still sound asleep on his chest. It had been such a long couple days, and unable to sleep the night before he had forced everyone to go after Catherine early that morning. The whole rescue had only taken a couple hours.

He watched her sleeping for a moment. She looked peaceful, no sign of the nightmare that had been plaguing her. He ran his fingers through her now just damp hair, and she moved into his touch, still sound asleep. Steve smiled just as there was a light knock on the door and someone slowly opened it.

Danny was standing there with a bag in his hand and Steve instantly put his finger to his lips and then pointed at the still sleeping Catherine. Danny nodded and then pointed to the bag in his hands before lightly setting it on the floor and then nodding towards the hallway to let Steve know he should join him. Steve nodded back and Danny quietly shut the door behind him. Steve looked back at Catherine. He hated to move her, but he did so. Gently and careful of her knee he slid out from underneath her. Amazingly his towel was still wrapped tightly around his waist, just at Catherine's was still tied tightly around her. She shifted so she was fully on her stomach and when Steve was sure she was still asleep he pulled the covers up over her, kissed her cheek lightly, and then went to investigate the bag Danny had left.

There were clean clothes for him and for Catherine and he mentally thanked whoever thought to grab clothes for them. He quickly threw on the jeans and t-shirt that were in there for him, and then quietly slipped out of the room. He padded down the short hallway to the living room, to find his team waiting there.

He smiled when he saw them, but it was Chin that spoke first, "How is she?"

Steve took the empty seat next to Danny on the couch, "Beat up, she's sleeping right now." He looked down at his hands for a moment before saying, "I wanted to say thank you. Thank you for helping me get Catherine back."

"Babe, no thanks needed." Danny said clapping a hand on Steve's shoulder.

Chin looked at him, "We weren't going to loose her. We weren't loosing another member of this family."

Steve returned Chin's intense look, both men at a loss for any more words, so they simply nodded at each other, both comprehending what the other way saying. Steve looked at Kono, "Was it you that got Cath's things for her?"

Kono smiled, "Yeah, we had talked about it when the paramedics were talking to you. She suggested that we grab something for you too." Kono's smile changed to a smirk, "Nice drawer at her place, very tidy."

That got a laugh out of their team, but Steve just smiled. He turned to Danny, "What happened after Kono and I left?"

"Well the building was completely demolished. One of those high-tech fancy things where the professionals can drop the building in the middle of the city without knocking down any of the other buildings. They're still processing the scene, but we believe the two other heat signatures we're still in the building when it went down. Search and rescue are still searching the building's remains."

"We canvassed the area," Chin added. "But there were no signs of Santiago. We checked the location that the cameras' signals were be directed to but they were long gone." Chin shared a glance with Danny, who nodded, and then he continued, "He left you a note though. It said 'Now Esmeralda can rest in peace. I'll be waiting for you.'"

"Except Catherine survived." Steve looked around at his team, "So this proves that their plan worked. Santiago believes that Catherine was killed in the explosion."

"It would appear that way." Chin agreed.

Steve leaned back against the couch folding his arms and putting his bare feet against the coffee table. "What about video surveillance. Did anything catch Santiago leaving the scene?"

"Charlie is going through the footage now, but he did confirm that Larry Malone was Scott Monroe's killer." Chin responded.

"That confirms it then. Scott's execution was just to get me away from Catherine, but why kill Larry? Why not keep him on?"

"Scott's girlfriend said he was an ambitious guy, maybe he wanted more money." Danny offered. "We'll keep looking into it."

Steve nodded. Suddenly he looked around, "Wait, where's Doris?"

Kono, Chin, and Danny shared a look and then finally Danny said, "She is out seeing if any of her contacts could help her locate Santiago."

"She did what? That's too dangerous, she shouldn't be out there!"

Kono hid a smile, as did the other two, before she leaned across the table and handed him a folded piece of paper, "That's what she figured you say, so she left you this."

Irritated Steve took the paper and opened it.

_Steve, _

_Be reasonable. I've done this before. I'm not in any danger, nor is Catherine._

_ Love, Mom._

Steve sighed, "Alright fine."

"Steve!?" Catherine's frantic voice coming from the hallway had Steve instantly up from the couch and moving towards her. She was wearing nothing but one of his t-shirts as she took a tentative step in his directions, but he could see her blinking back tears. He was to her in seconds and had her scooped up in his arms before she could think about protesting. She wrapped her arms tight around his neck and as Steve carried her back to the bedroom he could feel her trying to resist her sobs. He sat down on the bed, but didn't let go of her, leaving her draped across his lap. With one arm still wrapped around her and the other hand now free he lifted it up to her hair and stroked it.

"What's wrong, Cath?"

Catherine's arms were tight around Steve's neck her face buried against his skin skin, "I woke up, and you weren't there. I thought it was a dream. That you finding me was a dream."

Steve tucked his head against hers. "Cath, I'm so sorry. It wasn't a dream. It was real. I'm here. It's just you and me."

Catherine took a deep breath, and slowly eased her hold on Steve, but didn't let go completely. "I know. I'm sorry, it was just a moment of panic."

"It's okay. I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up."

She shook her head against him, "It's okay. It's going to take both of us a while to recover from this."

Steve was still stroking her hair, "The team's here. I know they'd love to see you. You feeling up to it?"

She nodded, "Yeah. I don't think I could fall asleep right now."

"I might be able to help you out with that."

That made her laugh, "I bet you could, but I need to get some ice on this knee."

On her instructions Steve grabbed a pair of shorts from the bag and she slipped them on before Steve scooped her up in his arms again. He carried her back down the hallway where the rest of five-0 was waiting. He set her down on the couch next to Danny and said, "I'll go grab you some ice."

As Steve left she turned to the others, "Thanks guys. Thank you for finding me."

Danny couldn't resist, he leaned over and hugged her, "I'm so glad you're okay."

She put her arm around him and returned the hug, "Me too."

Chin reached across the coffee table and squeezed her hand. "You're very welcome Catherine."

Just then Steve returned then with a bag of ice, "What's this?"

Catherine let go of Danny and patted the seat next to her. Steve sat down, grabbed a pillow to set on the coffee table and Catherine put her leg up on it, Steve setting the bag of ice gently on her knee.

"Just welcoming our girl home," Danny said.

Steve put his arm around Catherine's shoulder and she cuddled into his side.

The doorbell rang then and everyone but Catherine stood pulling their sidearms. Even Steve got up, reaching for a gun before he realized that it wasn't there. So he stayed in front of Catherine as a human shield while the other three went towards the door. Kono covered him as Chin checked the peephole.

"Kamekona." Chin said, and everyone relaxed.

As Chin opened the door Catherine pulled Steve back down. "Relax, Steve."

As she leaned back into his side, Steve pulled her close, his arm back around her shoulder. He kissed her forehead, "I'm relaxed."

"I thought the Big Kahuna could use some comfort food. We heard about Catherine. So sad. She was my favorite." Kamekona said walking into the house with a bag of food, Catherine blocked form his sight. He used the back of his hand to wipe a tear of his cheek.

"Aww Kame, that's so sweet!" Catherine called out.

"Catherine!" Kamekona exclaimed a grin on his face. He pushed the bag of food at Kono and hurried over to Catherine. "You're alive."

The next thing Catherine knew she was in the biggest bear hug of her life. Steve too, since neither one had let go of the other.

"Yes, she's alive." Came Steve's muffled voice. "Now let go of us!"

"Sorry, brah. I'm just so happy to see her. I've been so upset all day. Word's gotten around that she died this morning."

Steve felt Catherine pull herself just a little closer to him, and he tightened his arm around her and kissed the side of her head before she leaned it against his shoulder.

"That was fast." Danny said.

"It was, but it's what we wanted." He turned to Kono, "Where's that food. I'm starving."

* * *

It was early evening when everyone left to find their beds after the long couple of days. Everyone except Danny who had moved to the chair across from the couch. He looked at his friend. "I'm sorry, buddy."

Steve looked at him in surprise, "For what?"

Danny gave a little shrug, "For not believing you when you said something was wrong. That something didn't feel right about Catherine."

Steve gave his head a little shake, "Don't."

This time Danny shook his head, "No. I should have trusted your gut. Especially when it was about, Catherine."

Steve smiled. "It's alright, Danno. Now you'll never doubt me again."

Danny snorted, but changed the topic. "So I hear this Santiago has a death wish. I mean that was pretty obvious when he kidnapped Catherine, but word is he actually wants you to kill him."

"That's what Doris and Catherine think."

Danny took a swig of his beer before asking, "What are you going to do?"

Steve spared a glance at the still sleeping Catherine, before looking back at Danny, the hand not around Catherine playing with the beer bottle in his hand. "I'd kill him without hesitation for what he did to Catherine, but were cops. We're supposed to believe that the courts are the right form of justice."

"But you don't believe that?"

"I don't know." Steve answered honestly. "I mean is it? How many criminals have we've seen who have still wreaked havoc from prison."

"Delano."

"Exactly. Wouldn't he have been better off dead? Chin's wife would still be alive, Kono's life wouldn't have been put at risk that time."

"That time." Danny said with a short laugh. "You almost want to leave Santiago alive just to spite him."

Steve laughed at that, "The thought did cross my mind."

Danny stared at his hands for a moment, "My uncle used to say that the biggest difference between cops and criminals are the side of the law they're on. I used to take such insult to that when I was a rookie, but then I've seen the things I'm willing to do, you're willing to do, to get our guy." He looked at Steve, "And I've realized the only thing that reins me in is the law."

"That's what I think too, that I can't kill him outright because then I'm no better than him."

"Doesn't mean you won't kill him if he gives you the chance." Danny said with a smirk and held his beer out to his friend.

Steve leaned forward just enough to tap his beer against Danny's, "Amen to that."

Danny swallowed the last of his beer, "I'm going to head home. We'll find Santiago tomorrow."

Steve handed Danny his empty beer bottle when he reached for it and said, "Yeah, I should get Catherine to bed."

Danny left shortly after that, shutting the door behind him. Steve turned his attention to the women cuddled into his side. Man she was beautiful. He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed his forehead. "Cath."

"Hmm?" Was the only response he got from her.

He smiled, "Come on. I'm going to move you to the bed."

"Everyone leave?" She asked sleepily, still not opening her eyes.

He laughed quietly, "For a while now. Come on." He scooped her up gently, and once again her arms went around his neck, her eyes never opening. Steve set her on the bed and then pulled the covers up over her. He started to walk away but Catherine grabbed him by the wrist, her accuracy scary good in the dark, and she sleepily whispered, "Stay."

"I'll be right back." He promised, "I'm just going to lock the front door, check the perimeter."

That made her smile, and she settled into her pillow, "Okay."

He kissed her on the forehead and was gone in just moments, Catherine falling instantly back asleep. Steve wasn't gone long, and when he got back he climbed into bed next to Catherine. She was lying on her back and Steve moved so his head was resting next to hers and his arm was across her chest. She reached up and put her hands around his arm and Steve whispered, "Love you."

Catherine turned her head so she was facing him, "Love you too."


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Author's Note: Getting close to the end and close to the showdown with Santiago!

Chapter 12

Steve woke before Catherine again, but this time he wanted to make sure he was there when she woke up. During the night they had shifted positions so they were lying on their sides, each facing the other, legs entwined, and Steve couldn't resist. He reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. She smiled, her eyes still closed, and moved into his touch. "Good morning."

Steve smiled, "Good morning, beautiful. How are you feeling?"

She kissed him quickly and then rolled onto her back and groaned, "Sore. Very sore." She turned her head to look at him, "How are you?"

"I'm amazing." He grinned at her. He was leaning into kiss her when his phone rang. Catherine gave a light laugh after Steve kissed her anyway before rolling over to grab his phone off the bedside table. "McGarrett."

"Hey, Steve. You're mom got a lead. You good to come in?" Came Danny's voice through the phone.

"Yeah, I'll be there. Send Kono over here, I'll leave as soon as she gets here."

Catherine tried to protest, "Steve, no. I'll be fine." The look he gave her made her shut up.

"She's leaving now." As Danny answered Catherine stared at the ceiling defeated.

"Alright," Steve said. "I'll see you soon." He hung up and tossed his phone back on the table. He rolled over so he was leaning over her. "I know you can take care of yourself, but your injured, and I won't loose you."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled up at him, "You won't. With Kono here I can just sleep the day away." She smiled slyly up at him, "There's just one problem. I'm not feeling very sleepy."

"I can take care of that for you." He said matter of factly, with just a slight grin.

"Oh can you?" They were starting to take each other's clothes off.

He nodded enthusiastically. "I can," he said, kissing her all over, but soon the kisses slowed, and they made love in the morning light. Soon, Steve was climbing out of bed and Catherine was lying on her stomach, eyes closed, thoroughly ready for a nap. Steve kissed her cheek, "I'm sorry I've got to go, but Doris has got a lead on Santiago. I've got to get him, Cath. I've got to end this for you."

She lifted her head to look at him. "Go, Steve, find the bastard." She put her head back on the pillow. "I'm going to enjoy sleeping in."

Steve laughed and kissed her on the cheek, "I'll call and check on you later."

"Mhmm. You do that. Love our normal." She said sleepily.

"Love you." He said, kissing her one more time and then he was gone.

* * *

_Catherine stood at the end of the walkway, a relieved smile on her face. Steve smiled back at her, and she walked towards him, but before she got to him he suddenly stumbled putting his hand to his chest and pulling it away to look at the blood on his hand in surprise. Catherine tried to run to him, but suddenly she was tied to the chair back in her cell in Santiago's clutches. Steve was lying on the floor, now in full tactical gear. He tried to get up, but the shot gun booby trap in front of her went off and hit Steve full in the chest. He looked at Catherine and whispered, "I love you," before his eyes closed and he faded into death…_

Catherine woke up screaming.

* * *

"He's definitely still on the island," Doris told Steve. "I reached out to some of my contacts, they say a man using the name Esmeralda rented a house down on the North Shore."

"Do we have confirmation?" Steve asked, looking around at his team as well as his mother.

"We do." Danny said trying to pull up photos on the smart table. "Damn it. You had to send Kono away. Someone help me with this," he threw his arms up in exasperation.

Chin laughed and stepped up to help him, "Move over, I've got it." He hit a couple of keys and then sent the photos up to the screen. "There's Santiago. We've got pictures of him exiting and entering the building. The time stamp has him there after yesterday's rescue."

Steve nodded, "He might have a death wish, but I'm not taking any chances. Let's get eyes on that house. I want to know every security precaution he's taken."

"On it," Chin said, getting on the phone, walking into his office.

Steve turned to his mom, "Why don't you go home? Check on Catherine for me?"

"Sure, Steve. Let me know if I can help in any other way." She gave her son a hug and left.

Alone Danny turned to him, "How you holding up? With what we talked about last night?"

Steve shook his head, "I know it would be nice if they were all this easy. I mean he laid everything out. He practically gave us a care package. But it just feels too easy."

"Well the plan was for you to watch Catherine die. He wanted it to be that easy."

"But now? I mean does he really want to die that badly?"

Danny shook his head, "The man's crazy, but we'll keep our eyes open."

Steve nodded, still worried, but unwilling to focus on it. He went to see what Chin had found.

* * *

It was almost lunch time when Doris returned home. She had called Kono when she was outside the house to let her know she was approaching. Kono checked through the window, and lowered her gun when she saw Doris. She unlocked the door and let her in.

"How are things here? How's Catherine?" Doris asked as she walked in.

"Catherine is fine." Came Catherine's voice defensively. She was curled up on the couch under a pile of blankets a bag of ice on her knee and the remote control in her hand.

Doris looked at Kono in suspicion, and Kono mouthed 'later.' Doris nodded, and walked into the house to sit on a chair across from Catherine. "You don't sound fine, you sound edgy."

Catherine muted the TV and turned to look at Doris. "I'm fine." Doris eyed Catherine's red puffy eyes, but didn't say anything, and Catherine asked, "Any leads on Santiago."

Doris nodded and Kono joined them in the living room, "We do. A contact of mine places him at a rented house on the North Shore. Steve and the team are looking into it now."

Catherine nodded, but looked away, biting her lip to keep the tears at bay. All she could see was the image of Steve dying in her head. She knew she wasn't' doing a good job of hiding it, but at this point she didn't care. As long as they didn't ask her about it, they could speculate all they wanted. Finally she said, "That's good." And then turned back to the TV.

Doris shared a look with Kono and then said, "I'm going to make some lunch. Do you want anything Catherine?"

Catherine tried a smile and thought she succeeded, "Sure. I'll take some of whatever you fix."

"Good." She stood up, "Kono, why don't you come help me?"

Kono followed Doris into the kitchen, leaving Catherine to watch TV.

Doris pulled off her jacket and tossed it on a chair, and then started pulling stuff out of the fridge. "What's going on with Catherine? She's not her usual cheery self."

Kono looked back at the closed door that led out of the kitchen and then back at Doris. "Nightmare I think. When I got here she was sleeping and a couple hours later I heard her screaming. I went to check on her and she was fine physically, no one here, but she was hysterical and kept rambling about how she couldn't stop it, couldn't save him."

"Hmm. Sounds like a nightmare. No wonder she's so edgy."

Kono nodded, "Yeah, it took a while to calm her down, but she refused to talk about it. Before we figured out she was missing, Danny mentioned that Steve said she's been having nightmares. It was one of the reasons he was worried about her." Kono smiled, "He knew something was wrong. He could feel it."

Doris smiled too as she put sandwiches on a plate, "They do seem to have a special bond."

"From what I understand they've been through a lot together." Kono grabbed a bag of chips out of the cabinet.

"Well let's go see if we can take her mind off of it."

The two went back out to join Catherine and the three of them ate their lunch, lapsing into a discussion of the merits of the latest season of Vampire Diaries. A guilty pleasure the three of them shared. Catherine started to relax a little and they decided to turn it into a girl's afternoon. They made a bowl of popcorn, put on the first season of Vampire Diaries, and decided to re-do their nails. None of them completely forgot why they were all there though; their guns on the coffee table in easy reach between the bottles of nail polish.

Catherine started to drift off, still exhausted from her imprisonment, and Doris and Kono let her, hoping she would get some real sleep and not be plagued by nightmares. It was soon after she had fallen asleep though, that she was back in her nightmare. They could tell she was getting agitated, and when she started to cry out in her sleep, Kono moved next to her friend, gently putting her hand on her arm. "Cath, come on, wake up."

It took a couple tries, but Catherine finally woke up, and when she did she broke down crying. "Kono…" she whispered, and when her friend opened her arms, Catherine fell into them and cried. Kono held her and looked at Doris over her shoulder, who'd gotten up to come over to them, and mouthed 'Call Steve'.

Doris nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, dialing Steve. He answered on the second ring, "Mom, what's wrong?"

She hesitated before saying, "It's Catherine. She's fine physically, but emotionally she's a mess. Kono said she woke up screaming from a nightmare after you left. We finally got her calmed down from that one and she fell asleep again. She's hysterical right now."

Steve swore.

"Steve." His mother admonished him.

"Sorry. She's been having nightmares for a couple of months now. The same nightmare over and over. She usually only gets them when the job keeps me late and I'm not home when I'm supposed to be. Santiago taking her must have made them worse."

"What do you want us to do?"

"Just see if you can calm her down, I'm on my way."

Steve showed up thirty minutes later, walking in the front door and calling out for Catherine. "Cath!"

She was still on the couch her legs up on the coffee table, her head resting on Kono's shoulder, she smiled when she saw him, "I'm right here."

He smiled back, relieved to see her. She looked calm, but tired, and she lifted her head off Kono's shoulder. Kono quietly got up and moved into the kitchen and Steve took her spot on the couch. They just sat there side by side for a moment. Finally Catherine put her head on his shoulder, "They called you didn't they?"

He nodded, "Yeah, they did, but why didn't you call me? I would have come back."

She took his hand, "I know you would have, but I was trying to pretend like they hadn't happened. I wasn't ready to face them yet." She tilted her head up, "They changed."

He looked at her in surprise, "I'm sorry, babe." He kissed her on the forehead, "Want to tell me about it?"

She cuddled into his side, and told him what had happened in her nightmare. He had his arm around her and when she finished he gave her a squeeze. "Come here," he pulled her legs across his lap and wrapped his arms fully around her. She put her arms around his chest and leaned into him. They didn't say anything, just held each other. Eventually Steve got a call, "McGarrett."

"Hey Steve. How's Catherine?" Danny asked.

"She's fine. What do you know?"

"We've got the intel on the security at the house where Santiago's staying."

"Awesome. I'll be there soon." He hung up the phone, turning his attention back to Catherine. "I have to go in, we're close to ending this."

She nodded. "Okay. I'm going in with you."

"What?" He pulled back from her just enough to look at her, "No, Catherine. You need to stay here and rest."

"Rest!" She said in outrage, sitting up to look at him fully. "I can't rest! Every time I close my eyes I see you die."

The look in her eyes was breaking his heart, but he tried one last half hearted argument, "What about our normal?"

She relaxed a little but said, "Steve, our normal is me not being helpless. I'm tired of feeling helpless. Steve I got kidnapped and I couldn't fight them off, I have nightmares I can't get rid of, nightmares where I watch you die every time. I'm not sitting here anymore."

Steve took her face in his hands, "Catherine. You are not helpless. You fought back." He took her still bandaged wrist in his hand, "You've got the evidence right here." She smiled and he continued, "You're one of the bravest people I know."

She smiled back, covering his hand with her own, "Thank you, but I'm not asking to storm the house with you, just go into Five-0 Headquarters with you."

He laughed, "And one of the most stubborn people I know."

"I know someone else just as stubborn," she said pointedly.

He laughed and then leaned in and kissed her, "Fine you can come with."

She smiled, "Thank you, Steve."


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Chapter 13

Steve made Catherine ride in the backseat of his truck again, but she didn't complain, happy to be getting her way. Kono and Doris had thought it was a good idea, figuring she was just as safe there as she was at Doris's house. Doris elected to stay home and catch up on sleep as she had been out the night before looking for Santiago, and Kono followed them. Steve insisted on carrying Catherine into headquarters, she had said she could use crutches, she could walk on her knee but it was slow going, but it was obvious that her wrist was still too sore, so Steve had scooped her up into his arms and silenced her protest with a stubborn look.

"Hey look who's here!" Danny exclaimed as Steve carried her into the middle of the room. He set her on her feet and Danny came over to give her a hug. "It's good to see you, but what are you doing here?"

She smiled, taking the crutches from Kono just as something to lean against to take the weight off her leg. "I had to get out, focus on something else. Kono and Doris figured I was as safe here as I was at Doris's. Steve took a little convincing."

"Well we're happy to have you." Chin said, also giving her a hug.

Steve stood next to Catherine and asked, "What do you got?"

"Well," Danny said, indicating to Chin to put the footage up on the screen, and then continued, "There's cameras on the entire property, courtesy of the actual owners. They show five armed guards, heavy artillery." He looked at Catherine, "Your CO is continuing to help us out. He provided us with some thermals. So we know there are three more people in the building."

"We've got SWAT teams standing by, Steve. They're ready when you are." Chin looked at his team leader, waiting for his order.

Steve nodded, "Gear up. I'll meet you downstairs in a moment. Kono do you mind staying here with Cath?"

"Not at all boss." Kono agreed, disappearing into her office, while the others went to get their gear, to give Steve a moment alone with Catherine.

Steve turned to Catherine, who was still balancing on the crutches. They just stood there for a moment. Catherine not wanting him to go, but knowing he had to. Steve wanting to end this, but not wanting to upset Catherine more.

She shook her head, "Go. Kono and I will be fine. We'll watch on the security cameras."

He hesitated, wanting to say something, but not sure what to say. Finally he cupped her cheeks with his hands and kissed her, quickly and reassuringly. This was not a goodbye kiss and he wasn't going to make it seem like one. He pulled back and whispered, "You're the image in my head that brings me home. I'll be back."

She smiled, despite it all she knew it was true, despite her nightmares, she knew it was never a doubt in Steve's abilities that had made her uneasy. This time she kissed him, "See you soon, sailor."

* * *

Steve couldn't stop thinking that something didn't feel right. Did Santiago really have a death wish? He tried to think of how he would feel if something had happened to Catherine, if she had died. He would be destroyed; Santiago had gotten that part right, but so destroyed he'd want to die? Steve was not the type to ever kill himself out right, but the thought of loosing Catherine, that might be enough that he wouldn't care if he lived or died.

"You're doing it again." Danny accused, from the passenger seat.

Steve looked over at him, "Doing what?"

"Using your creepy SEAL fingers to drum a hole in my steering wheel."

Steve looked back at the road, stilling his thumbs, "I can't stop thinking about Santiago, about his death wish. I just don't buy it. I just don't believe that he's going to be sitting in that house waiting for me to come in and put a bullet in his head. He's got to know I won't do it, that I would arrest him first. So why just sit there waiting."

"He's not exactly just sitting there, he's got armed guards surrounding the place." Danny pointed out, and then added as Steve's driving had him sliding around in the car. "I know we've talked about his before, but can you please slow down!"

Steve looked at the gage, "I'm barely over the speed limit. Okay great we get through the armed guards, but then what? Santiago's just lounging on the couch waiting for us?"

"Okay," Danny played along, "Why even hire the armed guards then?"

Steve was silent for a moment and then, "Because they're another diversion. Catherine." Steve slammed on the breaks and flipped the car around.

Danny held on tight as the car made the quick turn, "He thinks Catherine's dead though, we've been careful."

"Yeah but she's at headquarters, there's cameras there."

"But he can't hack those, we've got some of the best security in the world."

"I'm not taking the chance, and even if he hasn't figured it out, we know the house in North Shore is another distraction, we'll get there find he's not there and then head where?"

"Back to headquarters." Danny answered. "Shit, can't you make this thing go any faster?"

Steve gave him a dirty look, while he pulled his phone out to call Catherine. She answered on the second ring, "Hey Steve, what's going on?"

"I'm heading back to you. The house in North Shore is a diversion. We think he's heading to you."

Catherine looked at Kono who was standing right next to her, she could hear the whole conversation as Catherine had it on speakerphone, "You think he knows I'm alive?"

"We don't know. It's possible, but I think he's going to show up there waiting for me. He's got a plan, I just don't know what yet. I want both of you to get out of there now."

The two women had started to move away from the smart table but before they turned around they saw Santiago coming in the room. "Too late," Catherine said, "He's already here, and he's got a hostage."

Santiago was dragging a woman in with him, a gun pointed at her head. He looked at Catherine in surprise. "Ah, my sweet Catherine. You live."

"I live." She agreed, next to her Kono pulled her gun and aimed it at Santiago.

"How?" Then he shook his head, "Never mind that. My sweet Catherine in some ways I am relieved. You really were an innocent in all of this."

"Just like the woman in your arms." Catherine pointed out.

He waved the gun a little, "She's just a means to an end. I mean her no harm."

Kono had been trying to stay quiet, to let Catherine lead the conversation, but she couldn't resist, "Which is why you have a gun to her head?"

"Theatre, my dear. I have to make it look believable. But don't get me wrong. This poor woman's death would be unfortunate, but I will not hesitate to take it if I must."

Catherine spoke next, "Why are you here? You had gotten what you wanted. Me dead."

"Ah, but you're not really dead are you, and you dead was not what I wanted," he reminded her. "I wanted your dear Steven broken, which is why I'm here to see for myself what your death had done to him, to finally confront him, to finally end it."

"I won't kill you, Santiago." Steve said, he and Danny had arrived and made their way into the room while Catherine and Kono distracted him, their guns trained on Santiago. Danny stayed behind Santaigo, but Steve moved around him so he could shield Catherine.

Santiago eyed him, "Won't you?"

Steve shook his head, "No, I'll send you to jail for the rest of your life." While Santiago seemed to contemplate that, Catherine was standing behind Steve, she could still see what was going on, and she slowly and carefully reached down to grab Steve's second gun from it's holster on his leg, hidden from sight by the smart table.

Santiago still had his gun to his hostage's head, "Not even for killing Catherine."

"You didn't kill her, and I won't let you." Steve told him.

Santiago shifted slightly so he could have a better view of Catherine, "I'm sorry my dear, but you still have to die, it's what Esmeralda would have wanted. First you so Steve can watch, and then Steve will die, for Esmeralda loved a good love story. Romeo and Juliet was her favorite. One can not live without the other."

Steve's mind was reeling, he knew Catherine was too stubborn to stand behind him, but he had felt her take his spare gun, and knew she could handle it. He needed to focus though, so he turned his attention to Santiago's hostage. She was a petite woman, and she looked terrified. "Let the woman go, Santiago. She has nothing to do with this."

"Not yet," Santiago insisted. "She's part of the show. She's what prevents you from hauling me off to jail."

"So what," Steve asked, "What we just stand here with our guns pointed at each other?"

Santiago sighed, looking around the room, "Oh, alright." He looked at the woman in his arms, "My dear, I suppose it is time." He released his hold on her, and before their eyes she pulled a gun and started firing at them. It was sporadic fire, meant more as cover than to actually harm. While this new adversary provided cover fire, Santiago fired at Catherine, she ducked out of the way, dropping her crutches, and sliding onto the floor.

"Cath!" Steve exclaimed trying to pull her behind the safety of the smart table, but it was too late. While Danny and Kono fired at the woman Catherine continued sliding out across the floor, she raised her gun, took less than a second to aim, and fired.

Santiago fell to the ground, and moments later the room quieted when Danny brought down the other woman. Their ears were ringing from the gunshots fired indoors, but they heard Danny's voice through it, "Clear. They're down."

Steve half crawled, half slid across the floor to Catherine, "Cath. Are you okay?" She was on her side the gun still in her hands and Steve could see blood on her arm. "You're bleeding."

She sat up, looking at her arm. She turned her head to look at Steve, "I'm fine. It's just a graze. Help me up." Steve wanted to see for himself, but he helped her up instead. She wrapped her arm around his shoulders and he did the same, "I want to see him."

Steve helped her limp over to where Santiago lay on the floor. He was dead, Catherine's aim had been true. She dropped down next to him, this troubled man. Despite what he had done to her, despite what she had been through, she felt for this man. He had lost the love of his life, and only wanted to be with her again. She reached out and closed the dead man's eyes and whispered, "You got what you really wanted. Say hello to Esmeralda."


	14. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or anything associated with it.

Epilogue

It was over. This battle was done. Santiago was dead. Steve pulled Catherine up and wrapped her in a hug. She buried her face in his chest, and hugged him hard. They had both survived, and she felt calm, and she felt strong. She pulled back to look at him and whispered, "I love you."

He smiled at her, "I love you too. Now let's get your arm looked at."

Steve wouldn't let her go home until the paramedics, the same ones as the day before, checked her arm out. With a shake of their heads they confirmed it was just a graze. They bandaged her up and re-insisted that she get her knee checked out. Chin and a SWAT team had shown up only moments after the shooting had ended, and he and Kono and Danny were standing over the unidentified woman's body.

"Anybody recognize her?" Danny asked.

Kono and Chin both shook their heads, Kono saying, "Nope, never seen her before."

"Me either," Danny said. She was a dirty blonde, and wearing a business suit, he had figured she was just some poor clerk that Santiago had grabbed on the way in, but he had been wrong. He imagined that when they checked the cameras it would show she walked in with him. "She must have known she was walking into her death."

"Money is an amazing motivator." Chin said.

Steve walked up then, "I'm taking Catherine home."

Danny nodded, "We'll finish up here. Is it alright if I bring Grace by? She's been anxious to see Catherine, ever since I told her that we had rescued her."

Catherine heard him from where she was standing across the room and said, "I would love that."

Danny smiled, "Good, now go home, get some rest."

Steve walked back to her and scooped her up in his arms and carried her from the room.

* * *

Over the next few days Catherine and Steve continued to enjoy the touchy-feeliness that Santiago's capture of Catherine had caused. They spent the next three days together, just the two of them, splitting time between Steve's bed and the beach outside his house. She finally had her knee looked at, the MRI showing that it was a minor tear in her meniscus, she was scheduled for surgery in a couple weeks, and her knee was expected to make a full recovery.

On the Saturday morning after Catherine had been taken Leslie Burns held the funeral for her boyfriend, Scott Monroe. Steve wanted to go, "I promised her we'd get the guy who did this. I want her to know we did."

Catherine was sitting on the couch in Steve's living room, "I'll go with you."

He smiled, "I was hoping you would say that. It starts in an hour."

A little over an hour later they were standing at the back of the group that had come to pay their respects to Scott Monroe. Leslie Burns sat in a chair next to where the casket was being lowered into the ground. She was dressed in black and held a single white rose, she ignored the single tear that ran down her cheek. When it was her turn to speak, she stood up and said, "I loved Scott Monroe. I loved him against my better judgement, against his better judgement, and against the better judgment of all of my family and friends. Yet he loved me and he treated me better than any other man I knew." Leslie stopped to take a deep breath and Steve squeezed Catherine's hand. She gave him a small smile before they turned their attention back to Leslie. "I will never forget Scott Monroe, and part of my heart will always belong to him. I found this poem tucked away in a book, it was a book that Scott's mother had given him. I've asked my sister to read it."

Leslie handed a sheet of paper to her sister who was sitting next to her. The woman stood and began to read.

.

_The Cab Driver_

_"The cab driver walks the stone paths_

_Passing graves marked and unmarked"_

_._

Leslie walked up to the railing around the open grave site and stared down at the now lowered coffin.

.

_"The wind in the trees and the rustling grass_

_Chant a sound of passing angels"_

_._

For a moment she looked around at the crowd, seeing all of the faces of the people who loved her or loved Scott.

.

_"And as he comes to the pedestal_

_Holding the stone angel"_

_._

She gave a slight smile when she saw Steve, lifting her rose in salute.

.

_"The tears in his eyes_

_Alight a shimmering halo"_

_._

She looked back at the grave then, her heart breaking at the sight of Steve and Catherine holding hands.

.

_"And he looks to the sky_

_Blinded by a vision of light"_

_._

She looked up trying to fight back the tears, knowing she'll never hold Scott's hand again.

_._

_"And then the mistletoe beckons_

_For a final act"_

_._

She glanced down at the rose in her hands, the same type of rose he had given her on their first date.

.

_"And the cab driver_

_Touches his fingers to his lips_

_And then his fingers to the lips of the angel"_

_._

She brought the rose up to her lips, the scent a comfort on this sad day, and then lightly kissed it.

.

_"And with this deed of love_

_He mourns no more"_

_._

She let the rose fall from her hand, sliding agains her fingertips, and landing on the coffin.

.

_"As he steps through the gates_

_Leaving behind the place his soul waits to go"_

_._

She stepped away then, turning towards Steve, and walking towards him and Catherine.

.

_"He waves a hand in a farewell salute_

_To the keeper of the gate, St. Peter_

_And he mourns no more"_

_._

As the poem finished the others there filed up to the coffin, throwing in their own memories, and talking amongst themselves, closing off the area and leaving Leslie, Steve and Catherine on the outside. Leslie stopped in front of Steve and smiled up at him, "Hello, Commander McGarrett."

"That was a beautiful service," Steve said. "Leslie, this is my girlfriend, Catherine."

Catherine held out her hand, "I'm so sorry for your loss."

Leslie shook it, "Thank you." She turned her attention back to Steve and looked at him expectantly.

"We got him, Leslie, actually Catherine did. We got the guy who was responsible for Scott's death."

Leslie closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "Was it Larry Malone?"

"Yes, he killed him, but it was someone else who ordered it. It was Catherine who took down that man."

Leslie turned her attention to Catherine and could see the fading bruises, the brace on her knee, "He got the justice he deserved?"

Catherine nodded, "He did. He can't hurt anyone else now, and no one will be at his funeral."

Leslie held out her hands to both of them, "That's all I need to know. Thank you. Thank you for finding the men who took his life, and thank you for coming."

* * *

They returned home after that, relieved that Leslie hadn't wanted to know more about why Scott was dead, Steve hadn't relished the idea of telling her that he had died to be a distraction. Though it was likely Larry Malone would have killed him either way. Still, he was relieved.

Catherine had insisted that the whole team, as well as Max, Kamekona, and Grace come over for dinner that night, not only so she could thank them, but to celebrate as a family. So she could celebrate that she was still alive and so was Steve.

She was standing on the beach, still using the crutches to balance herself, the long maxi dress she wore moving with the breeze and hiding the brace on her knee. She was watching Grace play in the water with her dog. Grace had asked Catherine if she could bring him, and Catherine had agreed, simply giving Steve a big smile when Grace showed up with the animal. He had shaken his head at all of them, kissed both Grace and Catherine on the cheek, and then grabbed a beer. Kono was standing next to her, and behind them Danny and Steve were arguing over how to best do the grilling.

"No, no, Steve. I mean really, how have you survived this long?" Danny exclaimed.

Kono and Catherine looked at each other and laughed when Steve exclaimed back, "Me! What about you?"

"An old married couple those two." Kono said, looking over her shoulder at them.

Catherine too looked over her shoulder, and then said, "Personally, I like to think of them more as brothers."

Kono laughed, "That's fair. I supposed when you and Steve get married you don't want a third person running around in your marriage."

Catherine laughed, "If we ever get married."

"Oh you will."

Catherine kept the smile on her face, but eyed Kono suspiciously, "Do you know something I don't know?"

"About what," Steve asked, coming up behind Catherine and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"About the two of you getting married." Kono said with a smirk and then walked away.

Steve laughed nervously, and Catherine smiled putting her head against his shoulder and looking up at him, "Relax, Steve. It took me getting kidnapped for us to actually say we love each other, I'm not ready for whatever it would take for us to get engaged."

This time he laughed out right. "I agree. Let's just enjoy this for a while." He put his cheek against Catherine's forehead, the both of them looking out over the water where Grace was still splashing around with her dog. "You were amazing the other day Cath. You took Santiago down. You ended it."

"The man wanted to die, and he deserved to die. If I'm being honest I didn't want you to arrest him. I don't thing I have that same qualm that you and Danny do being police officers."

He was surprised to hear her say that, "You were awake for that conversation?"

She gave a little shrug, "Enough to get the gist of it."

He wrapped his arms a little tighter around her. "You know what? You weren't helpless. When it came right down to it. You're the one who ended it."

She squeezed his arms where her hands were resting on them, but didn't say anything. He was right, and she felt calmer than she had in weeks. Steve had tried to be her shield and in the end she had saved not only herself but him as well. "I love you."

Steve smiled softly and kissed the side of her forehead, "I love you."

They stood that way until Danny called out that the steaks were done. As Steve helped her over to the table Catherine asked, "You gave in with the grilling?"

"Got to let him win sometimes."

Catherine's laugh filled Steve's ears, and as he sat down next to the woman he loved, at a table full of people that were more than friends, they were family, he didn't think he'd ever felt so content. They ate dinner, the mood light and happy, and when Steve's phone rang, Catherine laughed.

"McGarrett." Steve listened for a moment, smiling at Catherine, and then said, "We're on our way." He turned to Catherine, "Back to normal."

She smiled, "Back to normal."

He stood, giving her a quick kiss, "I'll be home as soon as I can."

She shook her head, "Take your time. I think I'll sleep like a rock tonight."

He grinned, gave her another kiss, and headed to the house with the rest of his team. Max had to go as well, and Kamekona volunteered to drive Grace home for Danny. Catherine left the cleanup for the next day, went upstairs to take a bath, her wrist was nearly healed, and she could get around well on her crutches now, and then made her way to bed.

Dressed in one of Steve's t-shirts she climbed into his bed, not in the mood to drive to her own, she pulled the covers up over her and turned the lamp off. As she closed her eyes her mind was free of any of the nightmares she had been experiencing. She wasn't helpless, and she slept peacefully through the night, comforted by their normal.

* * *

Where there you have it! The end! I hope everyone enjoyed and I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone who left such kind reviews! You were the sweetest and one of the reasons I love to write, to bring joy to others.

A couple people have made a request for a sequel. I hadn't planned one, instead intending to continue work on some original work, but after the second request for one I'll consider it. This story was so well received, I wouldn't mind doing a sequel, but it probably won't be for a while if I do do one. I've got to work on some other stuff, but you might see some one-shots.

If you guys did like this and want to continue following some of my work I keep a blog about the ranch I live on and the animals on it. Most of the entries are short and sweet, but it's where I'll post links to my original work once it's complete. It's called A Country Girl In Tall Boots. Unfortunately you'll have to google it as fanfiction won't let me post a link. If you google it, both the blog and the Facebook page come up. The poem "The Cab Driver" featured in this chapter is an original piece.

Again thank you everyone for seeing this through to the end and I hope you have a fabulous day!


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